Pacify That!
by James P. Darcy
Summary: Three years after the Mariemaia incident, Relena Darlian, now nineteen, still occupies the position of Vice Foreign Minister. After a visit to colony 139, in order to end the beginnings of a civil war, Relena returns with something most unexpected. 5xR
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any its characters; however, I do own this story, so please ask permission before posting it elsewhere. Thank you.

Title: Pacify That!

Author: Madame Adieu

Chapter 1

I suppose you could call this an experiment. I've never written any Gundam Wing stories before, so this will be a first for me. I hope it doesn't suck much.

* * *

The streets of the city were packed with people and the once-white snow was now brown mush as it was trampled on by millions of dirty boots. Sounds of laughter and shrieks of excited children surrounded the square of tiny stores. Christmas was only three weeks away.

It was a cloudy evening, but a man in a black coat and pants insisted on wearing sunglasses, for whatever reason. His long braid swished behind him like a pendulum, catching tiny flakes of snow. He smiled as families with dozens of presents passed him by. If only his violet eyes were visible, one could see that they were guarded, as if he had spent years watching his back.

"It is now official."

The man turned his attention to a nearby electronic store where selections of different televisions were showing the latest news.

"Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian, the former Queen and heir to the kingdom of Sanc, has been spotted with an infant after her visit to colony 139 to negotiate a peace between warring ethnic groups." A picture of an adult Relena appeared on the screen, clutching a small body with a dark head of hair in her arms. "The child appears to be of Asian decent, and our sources say it is yet another orphan of the colony's ongoing civil war. It is not known how the Vice Foreign Minister received this child, or if it is meant as any sort of peace agreement for colony 139 in the near future."

The screen went black before immediately switching to a commercial. The long haired man sat in a daze, emitting a long and low whistle. "What are you up to now princess?"

* * *

Quatre sat silently on the large beige couch as he sipped at his tea. It was getting late, and Trowa had not yet returned from the circus. The blonde knew that he should not have been worried, but he couldn't help it. The former pilot of Heavyarms was a close friend –something he had very little of. Since the end of the war three years ago, he had seen little of Heero, Duo or Wufei. Trowa was all he had left.

Quatre leaned into the cushions, his head rolling slightly to one side. The news would be on now, not that he was really interested in world affairs. His business kept him in the political circle, so he couldn't be ignorant to what was going on around him. That would be a luxury – to be ignorant. Ironically, it was the only one he couldn't afford.

"Master Quatre."

The blonde looked up to see one of his older servants in the doorway. "Yes?"

"The Vice Foreign Minister has returned from colony 139."

_Relena._ Quatre had not seen her directly for quite some time, but he saved the newspaper clippings. She was always in the headlines, fighting for peace as she once had. He had been slightly surprised when Trowa informed him that Heero had not stayed to protect her, and was even more surprised when Relena showed absolutely no emotion when he left. Quatre sympathized with the former queen. He seemed to be the only pilot that did.

"Master Quatre?"

The blonde sighed, stretching his fingers around the warm tea cup. "Yes?"

"She's on the news, sir."

That had not surprised him. "Yes, well she usually is, isn't she?"

The older gentleman did not know how else to tell his master, knowing the relationship he had with Minister Darlian, so he grabbed the remote and turned to the closest news station. "I beg your pardon, but it is different this time, sir."

Quatre raised an eyebrow. "Different?" What could be meant by that? His servant had left before her received an answer, so the only choice he had was to watch the screen in front of him and find out for himself. He only hoped that she was not hurt.

"The Vice Foreign Minister has just landed her flight from colony 139." The woman in a blue suit faded out to show a picture of Relena, a little rumpled from her flight but with a grand smile, holding something tightly to her chest.

Quatre felt the cushion next to him dip with a sudden weight, but he hardly noticed.

"So you've seen it then?"

Quatre was startled. "Trowa? When did you get here?"

The green-eyed man ignored the question and pointed to the television. "You've seen it. The baby. Everyone's talking about it."

Quatre's eyes widened. _Baby?_ Sure enough, the tiny bundle in the Minister's arms had dark hair and tiny hands that escaped the confines of a thick blanket. A baby. "How-? When did she-? Trowa?"

The reserved pilot of Heavyarms smiled lightly. "Yes. I was surprised too."

* * *

The desk of Preventer Sally Po was littered with medical files as she shuffled through them in search of a pencil. She was a little frazzled since she finished her over-the-phone conversation with Preventer Wind, or Zechs…Milliardo…whichever name he went by. Relena had decided to adopt, and her non-existent older brother was in the process of forming an ulcer because of it. Sally smiled, wondering when the man changed his mind about Relena being old enough to make her own decisions. She wished that he would have realized his brotherly affections earlier. It would have made the job of talking to Relena easier on her and Noin.

"What are you doing?"

Sally didn't need to look up at her doorway to see who was there. "Making a mess. What about you, Wufei?"

The Chinese man stared at her remaining silent.

"The usual then?" Sally smirked, receiving no reaction from her company. Their conversations always started that way. "Have you heard the news?"

Wufei hadn't, but wouldn't give Sally the satisfaction of knowing it, so he once again remained silent.

"The Vice Foreign Minister has just returned from colony 139 with a baby."

Sally never had been one to mince words, so Wufei expertly tried to hide his surprise. If the Vice Foreign Minister was still who he thought it was… it would mean that fanatical, peace-loving heir to the kingdom of Sanq. "They gave that woman a baby?"

Sally knew it was rude, but she couldn't help but chuckle at her partner's comment, even if it was at her friend's expense. "Now, Wufei…Relena has changed a lot since the war."

_Relena._ Wufei doubted he had ever said her name before, not that he would have ever needed to. He remembered the child, but had not yet encountered the "woman" Sally claimed her to be. He supposed he would have to meet her in person, in order to form a satisfactory opinion of this Minister Darlian.

* * *

Milliardo Peacecraft completed his fortieth walk to the kitchen of his small apartment. His fingers twitched as he reached to open the refrigerator door, now done out of habit. What was wrong with him? His sister was nineteen years old! An adult! Why should he care if she threw common sense out the window and decided to become a mother? He had never cared before…why now?

_Because she's my sister…my only sister…my responsibility…_

Milliardo slammed his hand against the counter top just as Noin entered with a bag of groceries.

"Zechs?"

The man looked at her with a dazed expression. Her form was blurring.

"Are you drunk?"

Milliardo shook his head. No, but he wished he was.

"Is it Relena then?" She set the groceries on the floor and walked up to her husband. "She's intelligent and capable, Zechs. You don't have to worry-"

"Of course I do!" His eyes tightened as his hand slammed against the counter again. He felt Noin's arms around him and relaxed slightly. "Of course I do."

Noin looked into his eyes and brushed back his long blonde hair with her fingers. She had seen him break down before, but never like this. "I know you care for her, Zechs. Despite what others may think, including Relena, I know that you want to be her brother." She smiled and led him to the couch. "You just don't know how."

* * *

"Vice Foreign Minister Darlian has just returned from colony 139-"

"Hey Heero? You here?" Duo could hear the television and knew it was playing the same report he has seen earlier in the town square. He brushed off his shoes on the welcome mat and walked into the small living room. He could see the top of a brown-haired head over the back of the couch. "Heero?"

"Hm."

Duo sat on the couch's arm. "So…I take it you know about Relena…"

The perfect soldier stared blankly at the screen as different pictures of the Vice Foreign Minister appeared. Relena appeared happy, but tired. She looked much older than nineteen. Something stirred within him, and he fought to keep it down. He wouldn't admit that he missed her. Never.

Duo watched silently as Heero's hand clenched and unclenched as he tugged at the loose fabric of his jeans. He knew that his friend was still contemplating his feelings for the girl, but Duo was afraid that Heero might have lost any chance he had with regaining the Vice Foreign Minister's trust. _He did just up and leave her…without saying goodbye. We all left her._ Duo still felt like a jerk when he thought about it, but had done nothing to rectify his mistake. He scratched the back of his head, staring at the telephone lying on the coffee table.

_Until now._

"Hey…do you still know Quatre's number?"

* * *

Relena pushed a long strand of honey-colored hair over her shoulder before pudgy fingers could grasp it. "No, no, Lixue." She smiled as she placed the baby on her knee, bouncing lightly as she held the tiny hands in hers. "I bet your getting hungry, huh?" The baby gurgled and Relena was about to comment when a small cough interrupted her.

"Uh…Minister Darlian? We still need your input on the crisis of Colony 139."

Relena glanced around the table of stuffy diplomats. Oh yes, she still had to finish the meeting. "Well, right now they're still fighting over territory. I don't know how I can help that, since they haven't been listening the last year anyway. It's just unfortunate, that so many children become orphaned due to a silly feud." Relena gently brushed her adopted daughter's hair with her fingers. She had saved one, but there were still so many.

"Minister Darlian?"

Relena blinked back tears. "Yes?"

It was obvious that Senator Wryer was becoming irritated. "What do you suggest we do? That is _why_ we called this meeting, or have you forgotten?"

Relena felt the burn of anger wash across her face and rise in her throat. The men around her still thought of her as a fifteen year old girl! If they were so concerned about her doing her job, why didn't they just do it themselves? Relena cleared her throat and smoothed her expression. Rule #1 in politics – _Only show emotion when it benefits your position_. If she let her company know she was angry, it would only further support their opinion of her as a child. "_I_ suggest that for right now we leave it alone. There is nothing we can do to stop them. If we continue to meddle in their affairs, they might declare war on us as well." Nervousness passed over the table. Relena bit back a cynical smile. "I would rather maintain the peace of the other colonies and Earth, than risk all out war."

The rest of the delegates were silent, thinking of ways to argue her decision, or so Relena supposed. As far as she was concerned, there was little left for her to say, so the meeting was over. She wanted to go home. "Discuss it amongst yourselves. I have another appointment in five minutes. If you have any further questions, call my office." Relena stood and placed Lixue on her hip, walking at a fast pace toward the door. In the process, a strand of her hair had fallen over her shoulder, and Lixue grabbed it to stick it in her mouth. Relena decided to ignore it.

"Minister Darlian? Your limo is waiting downstairs." A man slightly taller than Relena said, pointing down the long stairway.

"Thank you, Jeffrey." She smiled lightly, grabbing her coat from his arm. "Let's go home, Lixue." She wrapped the baby in a blanket and put a small knit hat on her head, tying it under the baby's chin. Lixue didn't seem too happy about it, her bottom lip protruding as she tried to pull it off. Relena laughed. "No, no honey…leave it on." The baby complied as her mother held her to her chest, prepared for the harsh winter weather they were about to step into.

The air was brisk and tiny flakes floated on the wind. Lixue reached out to grab one, letting go of her mother's hair for a moment. Relena smiled and walked pass her limo, deciding that she and Lixue needed a bit of fresh air anyway.

* * *

"Qu-man! How's it goin'?"

Quatre pulled the telephone from his ear, stared at it strangely, and then put it back. "Duo?"

"Of course! Who else calls you _Qu-man_?"

The blonde chuckled, having gotten over his initial surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to call." He noticed Trowa walk into the kitchen and open the refrigerator. "How have you been? It's been quite a long time."

There was a sigh. "Ah, I'm all right. Heero's driving me crazy-"

Quatre could hear some kind of scuffle in the background, followed by the sound of glass breaking. "Duo?"

"Yeah! Yeah, I'm here." He was out of breath. "Sorry 'bout that. _Anyway_, I was wondering if we could have a sort of reunion. You know, get all us guys back together again."

Quatre ignored the inquisitive glance Trowa was sending him. "That's a great idea! What date did you have in mind?"

"Uh, I don't know…soon? I sort of just thought about it today." Duo was silent for a moment. "And maybe while we're all together, we could pay someone else a visit…"

_Someone else?_ Quatre frowned. "Who did you have in mind?"

Duo sighed again into the receiver, making a static-like noise. "Relena."

* * *

So what do you think? Should the story crash and burn?

R & R

Please!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters; however, I do own this story, so please ask permission before posting it elsewhere.

Someone commented on it, so I would like to clarify - I don't write yaoi or yuri. So, don't expect any of that here.

Yay! I got reviews! Thank you so much guys!

* * *

Title: Pacify That!

Author: Madame Adieu

Chapter 2

_There's people talking  
They talk about me  
They know my name  
They think they know everything  
But they don't know anything  
About me_

"_Wake Up" by Hilary Duff_

* * *

"We should be expecting heavy snow into the evening, so it is advised that you prepare for power outages-"

Relena clicked off the television. Every weather station was saying the same thing. She couldn't see how a blizzard was possible, considering the snow had stopped falling hours ago. But, for safety's sake, she brought candles and matches into the parlor with piles of quilts and Lixue's baby bag. If it did decided to snow again, she _was_ prepared.

"Miss Relena?"

The honey blonde turned from her window seat and smiled at her elderly butler. "Yes, Pagan?" The man had assumed a fatherly role since Mr. Darlian's death four years earlier. "Is something wrong with Lixue? She didn't get a hold of the baby powder again, did she?" Relena smiled. Her adoptive daughter had a tendency to pull containers of baby powder from the cabinet beneath her crib and cover almost every inch of her nursery in it.

"No, no…actually she's asleep right now." Pagan pulled a letter from his pocket. "I came to give you this. It was sent to your office this morning, but a secretary thought it urgent and dropped it off a few hours ago. I apologize for not having the chance to give it to you earlier."

"Oh, don't worry about that." Relena reached out for the envelope, hoping it wasn't another invitation to a politician's ball. She detested those. Her fingers smoothed over the precise handwriting of the return address, her breath stopping in her throat. _Quatre._

"Is something wrong, Miss Relena?"

The blonde could barely answer. "N-no, no…it's just… unexpected. Nothing… to worry about." Her voice sounded far-off as she lightly padded to her desk to retrieve her letter opener. _Why would Quatre be writing me? We haven't spoken in what…three years?_

She sliced the top of the envelope and gently pulled out the piece of paper inside. She opened it and skimmed its length before resting her eyes at the top of the page.

_

* * *

_

_Dear Relena,_

_I know this seems a little belated, and I apologize for not keeping in touch. _

_I, alone, am at fault, considering that I knew how to reach you, yet you had _

_no way of reaching me. I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, Relena._

_Duo reminded me of my error just yesterday, when he suggested the former _

_pilots have a reunion. He asked that we invite you as well, which was a wonderful_

_idea. I hope you will accept my apology by coming. The time, address and date_

_are on the back of this page._

_Congratulations on your adoption. You will make a wonderful mother. Duo hopes_

_that you will bring the baby along. He has been going on and on about being an _

_uncle. I can't say that I would mind either._

_I hope to see you soon, Relena._

_All my love,_

_Quatre_

* * *

Relena stared blankly at the paper. She began to frown at the tears that slowly wedged between her lashes, not knowing if she was happy or angry. So, the pilots had not forgotten about her as she once thought– well at least not Quatre or Duo. But were they just being nosy now? Little Relena Darlian grows up and suddenly becomes interesting enough to befriend? She supposed she couldn't say that of Duo, since he had been kind to her before he disappeared. Quatre had joined her at a couple of fancy politician meetings at the war's end, so he could be considered a friendly and welcome acquaintance.

Relena wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, flipping the paper over to find the place of the little reunion. _What do I have to lose?. If the party sucks, I'll just leave._ Her eyes scanned the paper, finding her host's elegant handwriting. It was scheduled in three days, at Quatre's home. She laughed. Why wouldn't it be there? It would be idiotic to rent a hotel when his house was most likely ten times bigger.

"Are you sure that you are alright, Miss Relena?"

Relena smiled and wiped away the rest of her tears that had temporarily been forgotten. She let the letter drop from her hand to the desk. "I'm going for a short trip into town. I want to buy Lixue something for Christmas and I have a few errands to run."

Pagan smiled gently. In other words, she needed to get out and have some time to herself. "Yes, I was planning on starting lunch?"

Relena grabbed a burgundy trench coat from the closet. "Ah…I'll think I'll grab lunch while I'm out. You don't need to cook for me then." She slipped on a pair of beige gloves while reaching for her car keys and a pair of sunglasses. Usually people didn't notice her if she drove herself and kept low. "I'll be back shortly. Lixue -" Relena smiled lightly at Pagan as she slipped through the doorway. She hated letting her daughter out of her sight for very long. "If she starts crying, call me on my cell and I'll come right home."

Pagan nodded and watched the only daughter he had ever known open the front door and walk out into the snow.

* * *

The streets weren't packed, but they _were_ icy. Relena slowed her car down to below the speed limit, tapping her nails against the steering wheel. She decided to get her license a couple months after her seventeenth birthday. Being dependent on others for transportation had started to irritate her. Heck, being dependent on others in general had become irritating. After getting her licenses, she went on (what Pagan called it) a "mission for independence" – learning how to cook, do the laundry, sew, etc. No household chore was left unfamiliar. If she ever had the chance to live on her own, just her and Lixue, she was confident that she could do it without a problem. Independence felt nice.

A light sprinkle of snow found its way to her windshield, and she used her wipers to remove it before parallel parking in front of a small store. She enjoyed this part of town. It was quiet, peaceful, and everyone seemed to mind their own business.

Relena pushed her car door open, slung her purse over her shoulder, and adjusted her coat. The winter air blew at her unguarded neck, where her long hair left it uncovered. She shivered and dodged puddles of slush as she walked down the narrow sidewalk. The small shop she was heading toward was only a few feet away. It was one of the more "upper class" stores, not that it would have mattered if she had been shopping for herself, but she was shopping for Lixue, who only deserved the best.

Relena was confident that Lixue would be well taken care of, but not spoiled. She would raise her daughter to be wise - not kept in the dark about the world. Lixue would keep a certain innocence, yet not be completely naïve.

A sigh escaped her lips as she ran a hand through her windblown hair. "In other words, you don't want her to be just like you." A cynical smile, that had become her favorite lately, formed on the young woman's lips. She had been stupid before and during the war, knowing hardly anything about politics or the evil behind it. She had been used and abused – all because of the power she held over her people. That would not happen again. She was older and smarter, knowing the games politicians played and making it a point to avoid them. She would die before she felt that trapped again.

Relena checked her anger before she jerked the shop's door off its hinges. A small bell chimed when she entered.

"Hello there." A woman with soft white hair smiled from her cash register. "If you need any help – let me know."

Relena nodded. "Yes, I'll remember that. Thank you." She traveled to the back of the store, knowing right where she needed to go. She had been there before when she bought Lixue's crib.

A small selection of highly priced baby dresses was to her right, while soft quilts and blanket were to her left. Lixue already had a dozen of each, but she couldn't help finding something else to buy her. Relena knew if she didn't stop soon, she would go bankrupt. Her fingers smoothed over the soft fabric of a pair of pale pink pajamas with embroidered sheep sleeping on clouds. The thermal, fleecy material was perfect for winter, and it was adorable.

Relena paid for her purchase and stepped out into the brisk air, a small smile tugging at her lips.

* * *

"Wu-man! Trowa! What's up guys?" Duo waved frantically as he approached the silent pilots, who were walking towards him on the slushy sidewalk. Quatre appeared from behind and waved as well.

"Duo! Heero! You made it!" The blonde was the first to reach them, while the other two walked calmly as if no time had elapsed since their last encounter.

"Maxwell, Yuy." Wufei barely smiled. Trowa smirked and nodded as if to say the same.

"Well it's nice to see you guys have grown so talkative." Duo rolled his eyes, tossing his braid over one shoulder. A mischievous smirk formed on his lips as he leaned in and gave Wufei a hug. The Chinese man froze in what seemed like horror, and moved to shove the man away but Duo released his grip and moved on to another victim. "Trowa!" The circus performer wasn't really sure what to do when the braided man reached for him.

"Yes, I believe you've already said that." Trowa put a hand on Duo's shoulder as if to motion him off.

Quatre grinned broadly as he watched his three friends, obviously pleased. It was nice to be all together again.

"So."

The blond looked up to see Heero next to him, watching the display Duo was making.

"Have you heard from Relena?"

Quatre was surprised that Heero would ask about it so bluntly, but when he thought of it, the pilot of Wing Zero wasn't exactly one to waste time getting information. "No, not yet. I sent her a letter two days ago, but she hasn't responded yet. I honestly don't know if she will. We haven't seen her in three years…maybe she doesn't want to see us."

Heero didn't like that. Why wouldn't she want to see him? She had been infatuated with him for years. Obviously, he hadn't been interested enough to stick around back then, but if she was the same Relena he had known before the war, she would come.

"So no word then?" Duo looked up, wheezing slightly as Wufei had him in a headlock. The Chinese man's face was placid, while Trowa scanned the surroundings, pretending to be oblivious.

Quatre shook his head. "No."

The pilot of Deathscythe frowned. "You don't think she's mad do you?" He didn't want his princess to be angry with him. They had been close just before the end of the war, until he left with Heero. What would their relationship be like now if he had stayed? Duo hated losing friends, and he wondered if his stupidity made him do just that.

Trowa stood silent, his mind also on the Vice Foreign Minister. He remembered Relena very well, though he had met her only a couple times before, for nothing other than work. Her kind disposition and generosity drew him in. She always cared greatly for the wellbeing of others, so meeting her again wouldn't exactly be a chore. The only thing that worried him was the baby she had adopted. If Relena was his age, wouldn't that make her a little young for a child?

Wufei brushed a few snowflakes from his Preventer jacket. He didn't care much for seeing the Vice Foreign Minister. True, she seemed to be an admirable young woman, at least from what people said, and her actions during the war were mostly intelligent. Her complete devotion to pacifism was not something he had subscribed to, but he found that he could not find fault with her. At least not at the moment.

"Why don't we get something to eat? This town is small, but they have a few very nice restaurants." Quatre suggested, seeing if anyone other than Duo would respond.

"Great idea! Let's go!" Duo smiled broadly, taking the lead even though he had no idea where he was going. Everyone else followed along silently.

The blonde heir sighed. Some things would never change.

* * *

Relena entered her favorite Italian restaurant and quickly found herself a seat in a corner booth. The lights were dimmed, giving the room a soft glow as tendrils of smoke drifted from a lone man's cigarette. The usual lunch crowd was absent, but Relena found that she couldn't complain as the soft sounds of music swept past her ears. She enjoyed the tranquility.

The honey blond pulled her cell phone from her coat pocket before slipping the garment off entirely. Her gloves were next, along with a beige scarf she had retrieved from her car. _To call Pagan, or not to call Pagan…_ She knew her elderly butler was perfectly capable of handling Lixue alone, but Relena couldn't help but be worried. She rubbed the pad of her thumb against the number keys. _He'll call if he needs me. I shouldn't worry…_ She slipped it back into her pocket. Trust was a key element in a relationship, and was also something she desperately needed to work on.

Relena sighed, running her fingers through her air, which had lately become a habit when showing frustration. Maybe she should just leave, drive around for a little while, and then go back home to her daughter.

_Good idea._ Relena grabbed her coat and slipped it back on, throwing her scarf around her neck and shoving her fingers into the snug leather gloves, as she rushed to the restaurant's entrance, barely watching where she was going.

OOFF!

She felt her shoulder collide with someone else's, not hard enough to hurt but enough to startle her and almost lose her balance. A warm hand gripped her arm to prevent her from making contact with the floor.

"Oh! Excuse me, I wasn't watching where I was…" She looked up, meeting the brightest lavender eyes she only had the chance of seeing once before.

"Princess? Is that you?"

Relena raised an eyebrow. She knew that voice. "Duo?" Within a second, she felt herself being lifted into the air by two strong hands clutching her waist.

"It _is_ you!"

* * *

Being engulfed by flames yet?

R & R

Please!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters; however, I do own this story, so please ask permission before posting it elsewhere.

It's hard as a writer trying to nail each character's individual personality, especially when they belong to someone else. Relena is especially difficult, since she's become so generalized as "the stalker". Honestly, I think she's so much more than that. She is actually quite a solemn person, an introvert, who changed dramatically from the series to the Endless Waltz. I prefer the Endless Waltz Relena, myself. She wasn't as obsessed with Heero, though she still liked him, and I think she became much smarter. Sure, she didn't always use the best judgment, but I think she did the best she could, considering the burden of being true to the Peacecraft name. I mean, her biological father was pacifist and her adopted father was pacifist. That would have had to leave an impression on her way of thinking.

I hate the way that people blame Zech's breakdown on her. I mean, _he_ should have been more responsible for his actions considering his age compared to hers. If I was thrust into the position of protector of some kingdom, and then made Queen of the world – at age 15 – I think I might have had my own little breakdown. I think if Zechs can go around trying to destroy the world because he's upset, than Relena should too.

Sorry for ranting, I just thought it needed to be said.

On with the story!

* * *

Title: Pacify That!

Author: Madame Adieu

Chapter 3

_My heart has now bled  
Your lipstick sweet cherry red  
Look at those bright blue eyes  
No need to flip the switch  
When I look at you I squint  
Damn, you light up the room_

"_Satellite" by Cherry Monroe_

* * *

Duo entered the poorly-lit restaurant, slowly letting his eyes adjust. It didn't appear as _ritzy_ as Quatre made it sound, but he would be the last to complain. Unlike the Arabian heir, Duo had been born and raised in poverty, lowest of the lower class. Having money was a nice luxury, but it was not something he was comfortable with or used to. "This the place, Quat?" 

Quatre moved past Wufei and Trowa, somewhat irked that he had found himself at the rear again. "Yes. We should go find a seat."

Duo took the liberty of leading the way again, but didn't get too far when he felt something collide into his chest. He grunted in surprise, instinctively reaching for the person before they toppled him. Slim shoulders were beneath his hands and a blonde head rested under his chin. Then there was a voice, medium in pitch, deep enough to hint at seductive, yet light enough to be sweet. Definitely a she - and the said _she_ seemed to be speaking to him.

"Oh! Excuse me, I wasn't watching where I was…"

Duo looked down to meet wide eyes and a porcelain face - one that seemed so familiar. _Where have I…_ He squinted. "Princess?" Small, blonde hair, blue eyes – it had to be Relena! Duo's fingers dug into the woman's shoulders. "Is that you?"

A slender eyebrow rose as if to question him, or possibly herself. "Duo?"

It was her. Relena. Duo's world blurred as the slip of a girl in front of him stood waiting for an answer. Not one to disappoint, he gave her one. "It _is _you!" His hands slipped from her shoulders to her waist and easily lifted her into the air, spinning around much like a two lovers would. He couldn't believe it. After all these years, here she was.

"Put her down, Maxwell, you're making a scene."

Relena caught her breath, her hands gripping Duo's shoulders as he slowly set her on her feet. She felt a little dizzy, but excited. It was a feeling she hadn't experienced in some time.

"Aw. C'mon Wu-man! Can't a guy have a little fun? I mean, she is _my_ princess after all."

Wufei snorted and rolled his eyes.

"D-Duo, it's good to see you again." Relena felt her heartbeat quicken in pace. It wasn't exactly a lie. How often did a girl get swept off her feet in a lifetime? And when had he grown so tall? The last time she had seen the lot of them; they were barely and inch larger than herself! _Well, all accept that silent one. What was his name again? Trowa Barton?_ She peeked around Duo's arm, finding the man in question with three others, staring at her, either amused or curious. One face was too familiar for comfort, and was the last one she was content on seeing again. Goodbyes were hard, but for Relena, reunions after a "falling out" were much worse.

"Miss Relena, it is good to see you again." A much taller Quatre Winner approached her and politely nodded his head, then leaned in for a slight hug, showing his upbringing, manners, and slight lack of confidence - especially around someone he dismissed for three years.

His height was just an inch or two shy of Duo's, Relena noticed as she smiled politely and returned the hug.

Quatre felt the slight discomfort of the woman in his arms, knowing that it must also be mirroring his own. They had been such good friends, but now he seemed merely an acquaintance. How could he possibly break the ice when Relena built up such a strong barrier? "This is Trowa Barton, I assume you have met him before?"

Relena met the warm yet surprisingly calculating green eyes with all the audacity she could muster. He was still taller than anyone else in the group, and appeared to be nearly 6'4. She wondered if his large frame was more intimidating than his manner, but highly doubted it. If there was one thing that made Trowa Barton threatening, it was the strength of his arms _and_ the quiet of his eyes – a deadly combination. If she had not known of the reserved gentleman behind his indifferent mask, she might have been a little afraid. "Well, we have been in the same room on more than one occasion, but you could hardly call it an introduction."

Trowa didn't know what to make of the young woman in front of him. Her mask was impenetrable. Even he, who was greatly skilled in reading people, could not see what she was thinking, or what opinion of him she was forming. Oddly enough, he hoped it was a good one. _Hardly an introduction…_ Yes, he had to agree. "It's a pleasure." Trowa bowed, considering it would be proper to give her such an honor. He felt a small hand on his shoulder, pushing him back up. Shy, yet strong blue eyes met his.

"Likewise." Relena said, feeling a knot form in her throat as he stared at her intently, probably wondering why she disliked his show of respect. It wasn't as if she was unappreciative. Being Queen made her feel so far above everyone, and now she was called the "dove of peace". All she ever really wanted was to be considered _normal_, and to be treated in that manner.

Quatre motioned her to the left, and she was a little hesitant, knowing who was next in line to re-introduce himself. Relena could see his unruly dark hair and eyes. He was only as tall as Duo, and stockier in build. His face had not changed much. It was sharper and stronger, more like a man's face than a boy's. She knew that he was trying to figure her out, as he stared at her intensely. Perhaps to him she was a sort of riddle, or maybe he saw her as a _mission_. He had always responded to missions, if nothing else.

Relena almost let herself smile. Perhaps she would quite enjoy being one of his frustrations for once, as he had been hers so many years ago. "Heero." Her voice was calm, and she thanked the politician in her for that. "It's been quite a while. Are you still working as a bodyguard?"

Heero didn't know quite what to make of this Relena. Even though she was a politician, fifteen-year-old Relena had been fairly easy to understand. He feigned indifference to her advances, but he still knew what she thought of him, and how often. Yes, she had been very easy to comprehend. However, this new Relena was clearly not. Her eyes that were once innocent were now guarded. She had always been a quiet individual, but now she was almost cryptic, even jaded in a way. For once, Heero found himself left in the dark where it concerned her emotions, and was not taking a liking to it. "No, but I was offered a position at Preventer."

Relena raised and eyebrow, letting a small smirk form on her lips. "Really?" She allowed Heero to see her surprise, and with a somewhat mischievous smile, hoped that he would think she knew something he did not. Of course, that wasn't completely untrue. She had heard of a certain young man working for Preventer that could easily pose competition for Heero Yuy, not that she would ever warn him. Relena only had a few connections to Preventer, and most of what she knew was hearsay. However, Sally Po was hardly ever wrong.

When Heero's eyes widened, Relena was satisfied that he had taken her bait, feeling a slight victory over the ever calm and collected pilot. _Let that keep you busy, Yuy._ Without pause, she walked past him, almost forgetting the last man she had yet to meet. Quatre's hand was on her arm again, so she turned and felt her breath hitch in her throat. Who was _this? _Definitely someone she had _not _noticed three years ago. Relena fought to keep her mouth closed.

Wufei Chang stood at an intimidating 6'2, broad shouldered with a lean waist and well-muscled legs. He had done a lot of growing since the war, and now let his gaze linger on the young woman standing there staring at him, as if she had never seen an Asian male before. It was a ludicrous thought, considering her connection to Heero Yuy and the primarily Chinese colony she had just visited, but what else could have caused such a startled expression. Certainly it wasn't his ponytail.

Wufei snorted inwardly, taking slight offense at the thought of this small woman insulting him. If she felt the need, why not pick on Barton! He never understood how the man could see with that overly-large bang swinging in his face. It was very unpractical.

Wufei's arms tensed as he crossed them, wondering if the "princess" found it intimidating. She had not been frightened of Yuy, so it was probable that the woman feared very little. He frowned, not knowing whether to classify that trait as honorable or stupid. It was obvious that her intentions were not entirely noble. He had listened to her brief conversation with curiosity, taking note that she appeared to be trying to get a rise out of the Wing Zero pilot, considering the beginnings of that smug little smile on her face. Somehow it seemed to suit her more than that composed and almost harsh appearance she carried when confronting Senators or other politicians, not that anyone would ever catch him saying it.

"Chang Wufei?" Relena decided she could handle herself, once she found her voice, and did not need Quatre to walk her around like a child. "Sally spoke of you before." She was going to add something about him being one of the best at Preventer, but by the way he held himself, she had the impression that he wasn't one to accept compliments. "It's nice to finally meet you." She held out her hand, not expecting him to take it, as they both stared down at her fingers. _My Lord, I don't bite!_ Just as she was about to drop her hand, she felt his fingers touch hers. There was something very _male_ about him. Maybe it was the way his callused hands engulfed hers, or the intoxicated scent of his cologne? Whatever it was, it made the female inside her melt. _What's wrong with me?_ Her body gave a slight jolt, as if being shocked, but nothing of the sort had transpired.

Wufei noticed her hand tremble, making him wondering if she was cold. Her slender fingers were cool to the touch, but that coat she was wearing should have been serving its purpose. Her face was calm and collected, but the look in her eyes seemed nervous. It irritated him to no end that it took effort to understand this strange woman. Here, she seemed friendly enough, yet around a different crowd, she was cold and reserved. How could he form a proper opinion of her when she possessed two opposite people in one body!

"You want to join us for lunch, Princess?" Duo's eyelids lowered, giving him a lazy and almost seductive expression.

Relena quickly dropped Wufei's hand, wondering how long she had been holding it. "Well, actually, I was just on my way out-"

"Aw! C'mon, please!" Duo squatted down to be just below her height, fingers clasped together in an almost prayerful gesture.

_What do I look like? The Virgin Mary?_ Relena put her hands into her pockets. "I don't know. Pagan is expecting me soon, and-" She was about to say that Lixue would be needing her also, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to speak about her baby just yet. After all, that could be the only reason the pilots showed up.

Duo stood, though not as tall as Wufei or Trowa, he still easily towered above her now. "And what? Do you really want to leave me so fast?" He pouted sweetly, tugging at his braid.

Relena rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll sit for fifteen minutes, but then I have to be home."

Duo smirked mischievously and linked his arm with hers. "Whatever you say Princess. Just as long as you get to sit by me."

* * *

Relena sat silently, sipping her cup of hot chocolate, hoping that the fifteen minutes she promised Duo would pass quickly. At the moment, he and Quatre dominated the conversation, or she supposed it would be more fitting to call it "21 questions". And as it would seem, they were all aimed at her. 

"So, Princess…" Duo leaned against her, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "Been seeing anyone _special_? Other than me of course."

Relena smirked, not being able to help herself. Duo had absolutely no qualms about interfering in one's personal business. "No, I haven't." It was an odd feeling, being so close to a man. Though she knew that Duo was not interested in her, not in a _girlfriend_ sort of way – he was just a flirt.

"No one at all? You're sure?" His violet eyes studied her intensely, a strange seriousness hidden beneath their teasing. What was he trying to uncover?

Relena subtly glanced at a large clock near the bar. Ten minutes more. "Completely." She was about to ask about _his_ love life, but opted to fiddle with the napkin beneath her mug. Unlike Duo, prying in other's business was something she tried to avoid, since it normally caused conflict, which the pacifist in her abhorred.

The soft tune of jingle bells played from her pocket. Relena expertly hid a blush as five eyebrows rose in her direction. "Oh, excuse me." She pulled the cell phone from her coat, almost wincing as the sound grew louder, and checked the caller ID. _Pagan…_ "Hello?"

/ _Miss Relena? I'm so sorry to disturb you, but Miss Lixue has just awoken from her nap. /_

"No, don't worry about it. Is she okay?" Relena tried to ignore the curious glances she received from around the table. "Do you need me to come home?"

/ _Ah…Miss Lixue was a little upset-_ /

The sound of wailing could be heard in the background, as the elderly gentleman made soft hushing noises, trying to console the child.

Relena felt her heart lurch. _I shouldn't have left her…poor thing…_ "Don't worry Pagan, I'll be on my way."

/ _Yes, Miss Relena. I am sorry for disturbing your lunch._ /

The blonde smiled. "Expect me in about twenty minutes." She ended the call and placed the phone in her purse. Before she could explain herself, she felt a hand resting on her forearm.

"Hey, is everything alright Princess?" Duo cocked his head; all signs of flirtation were gone and were replaced with brotherly concern. He had heard someone crying in the background. It sounded like a baby.

Relena shifted inside of her coat. "Yes, but I'm afraid I will need to cut our fifteen minutes a bit short." She gave him an apologetic smile. "I suppose I will have to make up the last five some other time?"

Duo lightly knocked her shoulder with his fist. "Nah, not if you let me walk you to your car." He nudged Wufei and the Chinese man complied by standing and making room, but not before sending the fellow pilot a slight glare.

Relena grew nervous, but tried not letting it show. "Oh…"

"Please let us escort you." Quatre helped her from the booth after leaving money with the bill on the table. He linked her arm with his and smiled lightly when Duo took the opposite. The three other pilots followed behind. "Did you receive my invitation?"

Relena felt slightly uncomfortable as the two handsome men led her to the exit. "Yes, I did just this morning."

Duo let go of her arm and reached to open the door. "So, how 'bout it? You gonna come?"

The blonde let her gaze travel behind her, catching Trowa's eyes on accident. When he gave her a small smile, her knees about gave away. She quickly turned back around. "Uhm, yes…I haven't checked my schedule yet – but I believe I can make it."

Duo nodded and left the small woman's side. He slowed his pace to be in step with Heero, Trowa, and Wufei, watching Relena continue her talk with Quatre. "Don't you think it's odd?"

Heero barely gave him a glance.

"What are you talking about Maxwell." The Chinese man's eyes followed Relena as she squinted in mirth over something Quatre had said.

"The Princess…" Duo scratched his head. "I mean, where's her security team? I've been looking around and no one seems to be tailing us. For someone so important, they don't leave her very protected."

Heero clenched his fist, also noticing Relena's lack of security. Why would Zechs allow his sister to be left so unguarded? "I'll ask her driver."

Duo raised both eyebrows.

"Is there a problem?"

The braided man smiled. "Hey, whatever you say man." His eyes followed Heero's to the woman in front of them. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Relena could see her black SUV still parallel parked just outside of the first store she entered. She hadn't bothered to move it, thinking the walk around town would do her good, but now she was regretting it. If she had known in advance that her little stroll would include the company of five men, she might have bothered to bring a driver for her get-away vehicle. 

"Is something wrong Relena?" Quatre frowned, touching her hand with his. He was starting to suspect that she was keeping something from him.

"Huh? Oh - no of course not. I suppose I'm just a little cold." She gave him the smallest reassuring smile, feeling her stomach lurch as they approached her car. What would they say when they discovered that she had traveled alone? Relena quickly set herself at ease. Why did it matter what they thought? She was going to live her life the way she wanted, not the way _they_ wanted. If she enjoyed driving into town, she would. Relena felt her resolve fluttering like the snow in the wind, but continued down the sidewalk toward her car. As silently as possible, she pulled the keys from her pocket. _Maybe I can make a run for it and drive off before they notice. _She rolled her eyes. Knowing Heero, he would throw himself on the car and she would be forced to run him over.

"Miss Relena…do you _have_ a driver?" Quatre's eyes glimmered with something akin to Duo's mischievous teasing. So he knew.

Relena wasn't sure if she should admit that she had come into town alone, or deny everything. The latter seemed immature and an insult to Quatre's intelligent as well as her own. She sighed. "No. I have put him on hiatus since I received my license."

Quatre laughed. She seemed to have more spirit then he gave her credit for. "Isn't that a little dangerous? I mean, considering your position and importance in government, it wouldn't be unlikely if someone wanted to harm you."

Relena had heard this speech before, many times in fact, and it always had the same affect. Not only did she want to drive herself into town more often, but she wanted to drive herself everywhere – press conferences, balls, elections - just to spite those who preferred she didn't. However, Quatre seemed genuinely concerned for her welfare, so she almost felt bad for worrying him. "I suppose it is quite dangerous, but I do enjoy my freedom from time to time. I believe you of all people would understand."

Yes, Quatre did understand; possibly more than Relena knew. One of his reasons for disappearing was to find a little peace and quiet; the time to himself he had missed out on during the war. However, unlike Relena, his leaving would not affect the entire world. "I would let you go, but I have a feeling it would end with me answering to someone's gun."

Relena smiled, though feeling a bit miffed. "Yes, I know what you mean." She stared down at her keys. "Maybe you can turn around and pretend that you don't notice me sneaking off." Her suggestion was even more ridiculous than the situation, but she was out of ideas and her baby needed her. If worse came to worse, she would give in and call her security team…

On all five of them.

Relena felt a presence next to her. Since she was already staring at the ground, she decided to try and identify the unknown person by their shoes. _Grey boots…_

"What are the arrangements?" Trowa Barton approached Quatre with his hands buried in coat. The wind was starting to pick up and snowflakes made his hair damp. He wasn't affected by the weather too much, but Relena's nose was turning rosy and her teeth were beginning to chatter. It somewhat amused him that she refused to meet his eyes. He had never expected someone he assumed to be so brave and controlled to become so shy.

"Actually, we were just speaking about it." Quatre gave Relena and friendly smile. "I think one of us should ride home with her, just to be safe." He knew that Trowa was completely aware of Relena's lack of protection, and the fact that she had no driver. He had always been very perceptive, sometimes overly.

Trowa nodded and turned toward the small woman, blocking the wind that was assaulting her with his body. "Do you have any preferences?"

Relena was so surprised that he was actually talking to her; she almost forgot to answer his question. "To be honest," she cleared her throat, "I would prefer no one at all, but I do not believe that is an option you will give me."

Trowa's lip curled slightly, while Relena looked away and jingled her keys in her pocket. Duo, Heero, and Wufei were approaching at a leisurely pace, but it seemed too swift for her to make a decision.

"How about you ride with her Trowa?" Quatre already felt bad for stripping Relena's freedom to drive alone, and he would have rode with her himself, but he wasn't about to let _Duo_ drive his car. "Maybe you and…" He was going to say Heero, but that relationship seemed strained. It left him with two options: Duo or "…Wufei?"

Relena was slightly shocked. Driving home with Trowa and Wufei would be the longest twenty minutes of her life! Not that she disliked the pilots, they just barley spoke, and she would be left with the job of initiating a conversation. "Um…maybe…"

"Hey guys…what are ya standing in the middle of the sidewalk for?" Duo approached with a lazy smile. "I thought we were trying to get Miss Lena home?"

"Yes well…" Quatre scratched his head sheepishly. "We were just working on that." He sent Relena an apologetic smile that caught Heero's attention.

"Where is your driver?"

Relena kept herself in check, when Heero's tone seemed colder than the air. She had a suspicion that each man there knew where her driver was, but they just wanted to hear how she would answer for herself. Politicians played this game. They asked questions they already knew the answer to, just to mess with your mind and catch you off guard. One wrong word and your career could be history. At the moment, she wasn't sure what she could lose if she answered his question incorrectly, but the way Heero's eyes glittered with an unspoken 'I dare you to defy me' message, Relena felt like shoving something up his pipe so he could smoke it. She inspected her fingernails. "He's with the candlestick in the Ballroom."

Everyone was silent until the five realized her subtle joke. Duo titled his head back and laughed loudly. Quatre joined him with a few chuckles, while Trowa looked away and smirked. Wufei's face was emotionless, but his eyes held an unmistakable interest and amusement. It wasn't exactly what she said that was so funny, thought they made note that once again she was poking fun at herself. The idea of Princess Relena of the pacifist Sanq Kingdom would purposely murder someone was quite ironic, if not inconceivable, adding to the fact that it was definitely not the answer Heero was looking for. That made it most humorous. His wide eyed look only remained for a second, but it was positively a "Kodak" moment.

Wufei watched the young woman proudly walk to her vehicle, throw an expanse of thick, honey hair over her shoulder, and slide into the driver's seat. Without hesitation, she drove off. No one followed.

Trowa stood next to Wufei, watching the black SUV depart. "Checkmate."

* * *

Too my readers - 

I hope this chapter at least met your expectations. I swear writing it about killed me. I hope everyone is in character. If not, don't hesitate in letting me know. My writing always has room for improvement, as long as your criticism is constructive - not destructive.

* * *

Next time:

Duo on ice?


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of its characters; however, I do own this story, so please ask permission before posting it elsewhere.

Thank you everyone for your reviews!

Title: Pacify That!

Author: Madame Adieu

Chapter 4

_You don't want to work 'cause it never works out  
You don't want to talk 'cause words get out  
Word gets around_

_All I want is to  
Bring you back to love_

_"All I Want" by Sanctus Real_

* * *

_I know that you want to be her brother, Zechs._

Milliardo Peacecraft strode purposefully down the long walkway leading to a large Victorian home, recalling the words that Noin and repeated to him before he left. Had she been right? Of course she had. His mind wandered to his youth, where he played in the gardens with a tiny blonde toddler who held his hand so trustingly. She had looked up to him then. She had needed him.

Milliardo placed his hand on the door's brass knocker, feeling a nervousness he had not experienced since his days as a novice pilot. At that moment, he would have preferred an all-out mobile suit war compared to one going on inside of him.

_Come on, Zechs. She's a nineteen year-old girl! Your sister, for that matter. Father left her in your hands, capable or not-_

"Milliardo! What are you doing here?"

The blonde man jerked his hand from the door in surprise. All the lines he had practiced before departing his home had scattered to different parts of his brain, leaving him feeling a blubbering fool. He desperately tried to regain any of his composure. "R-Relena."

The small woman raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were out of the country."

He shook his head, taking in her appearance. She was still a short little thing, her baggy gray sweatshirt swallowing her. "No, I decided to take a much needed vacation. Noin's orders."

Relena allowed him to her small smile. "She still bossy?"

"Overly so."

There was an uncomfortable silence, and both siblings were searching for something new to say. Relena decided that it would be polite to let him inside, even though she had planned on going out. He was her brother, after all, and it wouldn't be proper to make him stay outside and freeze.

"Why don't you come in? Pagan just put the kettle on the stove."

* * *

Milliardo sipped his tea, not sure what to make of his transformed baby-sister. Every previous moment that he had seen her, she was the picture of elegance and class. Now when he watched her, her body movement seemed less majestic and less graceful, but more fluid in a relaxed manner. To look at her in a baggy gray sweatshirt and blue sweatpants, one would never know she was royalty – a queen. _What had made this difference? It certainly wasn't any of my doing._ He frowned inwardly, wishing he had spent more time getting to know her, getting to understand this mysterious woman he called "sister".

"What are you staring at Milliardo?"

His reverie was broken. "You." He swallowed. "I can't believe how much you've grown." _She looks like mother._

Relena wasn't pleased with his answer. "Well, time seems to have that affect." She hadn't wanted to sound so sarcastic, but her brother's ignorance to her maturity was irritating. "I can't say the same about you though. Other than a few Noin-induced gray hairs, you look quite the same."

Milliardo smiled, but it eventually turned into a throaty chuckle. "Yes, _she_ seems to have that affect." He was starting to feel happy about making this visit. Through the hour that he had been there, Relena showed a fascinatingly sarcastic and entertaining side of herself, and he truly enjoyed her company.

Relena set her cup on the mahogany coffee table, wondering what was holding back her brother's lecture. She knew why he had come. Sally called her a day earlier, explaining that Milliardo was on a rampage about the adoption. What made him so calm now? She hated to admit it, but it unnerved her.

"I apologize for the interruption, Miss Relena, but-" Pagan was cut off by a tiny hand that had begun to pull at his collar. "Miss Lixue is ready for her nap."

Relena was completely aware of her brother's eyes following her as she went to take the baby and the heated bottle from Pagan. "Thank you." She whispered to the elderly man, and smiled at Lixue, whose eyes were drooping by the second. "Come here, baby." She cooed, cuddling the little girl to her chest, feeling the warmth of the tiny body against her own. Lixue reached out for Relena's hair like she always did.

Milliardo watched in amazement as the dark-haired baby clung to Relena as it would its own mother. He was even more shocked to see his sister responding with the same love. For that moment, he felt the worst feeling of regret. His reason for visiting Relena had been to convince her to give the baby back, as ludicrous as it sounded. How could one just _give_ back a baby? He rose to stand behind Relena, making his steps loud enough for her ears to hear, alerting her of his presence. She didn't move away.

"Do you think you…?" Relena wasn't sure why she was about to ask him if he wanted to be an uncle. Maybe it was her subconscious, longing for a father figure for Lixue. Or, maybe it was her wish of becoming closer to the brother she had always loved, but hardly knew.

"Yes?" Milliardo's throat tightened, making it almost impossible to breath. "Would I what?" He moved closer, bumped Relena's back with his chest, as he reached to cradle Lixue's head in his hand, brushing his thumb over the soft patches of dark hair. He suddenly felt a strong sense of pride. _His_ sister's baby. The love he held for Relena, along with other emotions, had been buried the day his kingdom was destroyed, but this tiny baby was unearthing everything he had felt so long ago. How was that possible?

Lixue's eyes closed as Relena slowly rocked her back and forth in a soothing motion. Milliardo gently swayed with them, although unconsciously. "She's beautiful," he said.

Relena smiled, wondering if it was okay to allow her brother to be this close. Would he see behind her mask and discover how lonely she was? She moved the bottle into a new position, careful not to pull it away from the baby still suckling. "Yes, she is."

* * *

Noin stood quietly, peeking in on the brother and sister as they shared a touching moment. She had come to see if Zechs was still alive, and found herself pleasantly surprised. It was certainly unexpected, and a too soon to see the total fruit of this visit, but Noin felt confident that the bond between the siblings would grow successfully. She wouldn't let it do otherwise.

Let Operation Sibling Love Begin!

* * *

* * *

Dear Readers,

Sorry this was so short. I just wanted to write a small Zechs/Relena sibling moment, and this is what I ended up with.

I hope it wasn't too mushy for you – or rushed.

The next chapter should be Quatre's party. I'll get it out as soon as possible. Hopefully sooner than this chapter… ha ha.

Oh, and the little note at the end of chapter three, "Duo on Ice", should be coming up in the next chapter.

Previously, I had not planned on this chapter, so things are being moved a bit. Sorry.

Your author,

Madame Adieu


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Are you guys still with me? I can't believe I haven't worked on this is in so long. The last time this was updated, I was just finishing high school! So, giving the huge spans of time between chapter updates, I hope my writing isn't distractingly different.

ALSO – this chapter is a bit short, but I just want to make sure people are still interested in reading this. And I'm trying to get back into the swing and flow of the story.

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Sunlight emerged from an opening in the window drapes and conveniently ran across Relena's face. Her eyelids twitched and she opened them slightly, ignoring how heavy and gritty they felt. She had been sleeping in four hour intervals since acquiring the newest member of her household, and it was beginning to wear her out. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. _8:30 a.m._ The previously mentioned member would begin to fuss in five minutes, and revert to an all out scream in ten. Relena sighed and rolled onto her other side. Her blankets followed and successfully wrapped around her, so she looked like a human taco. Savoring the warmth of her cocoon-like shelter, she watched as her room began to brighten with the morning.

Her thoughts wandered to her brother and his visit the day before. He had been so…completely wonderful. She doubted Milliardo knew how much she desired his approval and support. The warm feelings from her reminiscing quickly departed when she remembered the gundam pilots. Whyhad everyone shown up at the same time – conveniently when she was beginning to actually enjoy her solitude? Sure, she was lonely more than she cared to admit, but that didn't mean she needed all of this testosterone suffocating her! Her thoughts drifted back to the pilots, specifically one with dark eyes, rough hands, and a smooth deep voice. The warmth returned and she could feel her cheeks burn. _Calm yourself, Relena! This is the last thing you need to be thinking about!_ She tried to clear her head, but the image of grey boots came into view, followed by long lean legs, masculine hips, a muscular chest not hidden under the thick shirt and partially zipped-up coat. She shook her head. Quatre's sparkling smile, Duo's laugh when his hands slid to her waist…

She bolted out of bed, tripping over her comforter as it wrapped around her legs like a snake. She was beginning to lust after all of them and she would not stand for it! Why, it was below her character and good morals. She was a lady for goodness sake! Relena snorted. "_And quite a prude too," _the voice in her head commented. Relena narrowed her eyes. No, she wasn't a prude. Just because she was inexperienced and a bit frustrated – she blushed when thinking this – did not make her prudish anymore than it made her wanton. So what if she _appreciated_ the looks of a few men she considered, at one point it time, friends.

That being enough justification, she kicked the comforter from around her feet and stepped over it, purposefully walking to her closet. Now what was she going to wear?

* * *

Pagan sat on a stool at the kitchen counter, feeding Lixue her oatmeal-like baby cereal, as Relena emerged in her sixth outfit that morning. This time she chose a pair of dark denim trousers, and a long sleeved white shirt layered under a deep teal v-neck sweater. Her hair was still a bit wet, and retained a few of her natural waves as it air-dried. That romantic style made her rather tomboyish choice of clothing look charming. He noted, with amusement, as she pranced to the cupboard, that she was also wearing a pair of pink Chuck Taylors. "An interesting ensemble, my dear. Are we trying to make a certain statement?"

Relena grinned. She doubted anyone had ever seen her so casually dressed, and her shoes were a bit over the top, but she loved them even though she rarely had a chance to wear them. "Statement? Really, Pagan. I just want to be comfortable, that's all." She lifted her foot and turned her ankle to examine the shoe at different angles. "I think they're cute."

Pagan chuckled. "Yes, yes." He turned to the baby in her highchair. "Your daughter has been fed and bathed, although she might need the latter again."

Lixue was staring at her mother and motioning for her with grimy hands. Pagan had made the mistake of putting the bowl of cereal within her reach. Relena laughed. "How did she take it? Did she actually eat _any_ of it? It seems to be all over the front of her."

"Actually, she seemed to enjoy it. Maybe she'll prefer this to her bottle."

Relena felt a tinge of sadness at the thought of not bottle-feeding her daughter anymore. Those were precious moments of mother-daughter bonding time, and she didn't know if she wanted to let it go just yet.

Pagan cleared his throat. "It's nearing noon, you should leave now before you're late."

Relena blinked. "Noon? But my hair's still damp!"

* * *

The road marked on her map was leading her deeper into the middle of nowhere than she would have liked. Glancing around nervously, Relena checked the map again. She was sure that she was going in the right direction. It had been over an hour since she left her house, and she was beginning to wonder if Quatre had his house under a cloaking device, as her GPS was equally confused.

Lixue gurgled in car seat and stuck of her mitten-clad hands in her mouth. Relena looking in her mirror and smiled. "It would seem that mommy's lost, sweetheart. Don't tell Pagan." The baby gurgled again.

Relena pulled her cell phone out of her purse, which was sitting on the passenger seat, and tapped it against her chin. Quatre had included his number in the letter, just in case she found herself in the very predicament that she was in now. Should she call him? Relena didn't want to say that pride was an issue, but it would be a low blow to her newfound independence to call and ask for directions. Heck, Heero would probably grab the phone and give her a ten minute lecture explaining that _this_ was the very reason she should have a driver. She frowned, staring at the phone again before tossing it back into her purse. Nope, she was not having that.

The map was tossed next to her purse when Relena decided to go with her internal compass and hope for the best. The road seemed to only go straight from here on out, so she would follow it until it led her somewhere else.

After a while, she took her focus off of the road and began to observe the scenery. To her left remained all trees and bushes, but to her right the view varied a bit. It was a mismatch of woods and bare fields. As she continued down the road, she noticed that the bushes to her left were beginning to form a thick hedge. If she hadn't have been so observant at that moment, she might have missed the glimpse of a rusty fence almost hidden completely in the hedge. Her SUV slowed to a stop and she backed up. The fence seemed almost deliberately hidden, as only the entrance gate, which was covered in a thick sort of ivy, could be identified. Relena hopped out of the car and pulled some of the ivy away so she could peer through the bars. A path wound through the trees and took a turn to the left, so she couldn't see where it led to. A movement slightly above her caught her eye, so she looked up.

A camera!

This _had_ to be Quatre's house. No wonder the map seemed so confusing, with that little 'x' marked next to a long line, which she assumed was this road. How could they have expected her to find this place with such shoddy directions?

The gate quivered, and Relena stepped back, watching as it slowly opened. She looked up at the camera again and gave a little wave. Someone must have seen her.

She hopped back into the car and drove through, following the path as it wound through the woods until it stopped at a huge white house. Two other cars were parked in front of the large front steps so Relena pulled in next to one. She was here.

Relena tried to settle the jittering in her stomach as she took one last look at herself in the car mirror. Lixue was getting anxious from sitting for such a long time and was pulling at the straps of her car seat. "Al'right, baby. Al'right."

After five minutes of indecision and pacing, Relena finally found herself at the front door with her finger on the doorbell. It was now or never, and she'd resign to attending every boring ball of the season before she let five young men scare her away.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **Here's the similarly short companion to Chapter 5. This was only partially thought out when I updated the other chapter, so I quickly finished this to start working on Chapter 7. The next chapter will be longer, I promise.

Thank you guys for reading! I really appreciate the support and kind words.

**Chapter 6**

It only took half of the time she spent debating on the front steps for the door to open and Quatre's smiling face to appear. He was dressed in a hunter green turtleneck, which for all she knew could have belonged to Trowa, and a pair of khaki pants. Even while clothed fairly casually, he exuded a sense of formality that was strangely a bit intimidating.

"Hello Relena." His eyes scanned her face and then transferred to the baby in her arms. He smiled. "Hi there."

If he wished to touch, he held himself back. Relena glanced at her daughter, who seemed equally interested in the blonde man staring down at her like a dog who'd found a new squeaky toy. She wouldn't say she was stingy with her daughter. Certainly, many people had held her since her first arrival. Mostly Pagan, and the people who had tugged her out of Relena's arms before a word of protest could be uttered, but those instances were beside the point.

"She's adorable, Relena." Quatre's soothing voice settled Relena's nerves, and she suspected that me might have sensed the tension and sought to relieve it. _1 Point for Mr. Winner._

"Hey baby!"

All relief fled as a lean man with a long braid elegantly flapping behind him pranced over to the door. Relena honestly couldn't tell if he was speaking to her or Lixue. No words passed her lips until she could figure out how to respond without being completely mortified if he was actually talking to her baby.

Duo smirked as he reached past Quatre and held the former princess in a soft grasp, careful of the little one on her hip. "No need to blush, sweetheart. But yeah, I was talking to you." He gave her a wink, which set Relena's face on fire again.

"The guys are in the kitchen, raiding Qu-man's refrigerator. Well, except for Heero. The diva always has to be late." He tried to share a conspiratorial glance with Quatre, but the blonde man was ignoring him.

Relena, for all her effort, couldn't hold in the snicker. It was probably very rude to take such pleasure in insulting perhaps the most insufferable pilot, but she couldn't help herself. Especially not after watching Duo preened under the attention.

"C'mon princess." He grasped her free hand and began to lead her in the direction of the kitchen, or so she assumed. "You hungry?"

She shook her head. No, she honestly wasn't, not after the three bowls of cereal and two bagels she had this morning. Damn nervous eating. She ignored the gentle but insistent tug on her wrist to inspect Quatre. He looked quite put out at not being able to play the gracious host, although anyone would have difficulty when competing with Duo's natural charm. "Ah…could you hold her for a moment?"

Both men paused as she spoke the first handful of words since arriving. Quatre realized that she was staring at him, but he waited for affirmation. Her short nod urged him to reach forward, placing his suddenly large hands around a tiny chest. What was he doing? What this right? He didn't know. His experience with children was extremely limited, but Relena was glancing at him in a comforting way and she hadn't scolding him for breaking the baby yet. He lifted her soft weight up and away from Relena, and placed her against is chest, trying to find a natural position that would work for the both of them. No crying, or screaming. Quatre smiled. He could do this.

Relena knew she was going to burn in hell for using her baby to make the pilots uncomfortable. That initial prick of pleasure at seeing Quatre so befuddled spread from her core to her limbs and she suddenly felt lighter, more confident. And Lixue, the sweet baby, didn't seem to mind being passed off. She was staring curiously at the strange blonde man, who was just as interested in her. Relena felt Duo's grip on her soften before it slipped away, as he was just as distracted by the tiny burden in Quatre's arms. "I forgot her diaper bag in the car." That was all Relena needed to say before making a quiet exit.

* * *

The cool air felt good on her face. She hadn't realized how flushed she had been, as she inspected her cheeks in the mirrors of her vehicle. How was she going to do this? The two men that greeted her were the easiest to interact with, and she'd freaked. _Get a grip, Relena._ She reached into the back seat and pulled out a pink plaid diaper bag, slinging it over one shoulder and pushing the door closed. Her movements were quick, and perhaps not quite well thought out, because the slick bottoms of her Chucks met the slick surface of Quatre's poorly shoveled drive, and she was propelled backward. Her hands reached out to grab anything close enough to save her from the fall, but the smooth surface of her SUV was practically cackling at her misfortune.

Thankfully, the person she fell into was sturdy and not interesting in bruising her ass.

Warm hands cupped her shoulder and slid around her midriff. She could feel a chin shift against her forehead, a warm puff of air parted her long bangs at their impact. Instinctively, she grasped a well-muscled arm, feeling the hard flesh beneath smooth fabric. Her face was feeling quite warm again.

"Careful." A deep voice chastened, although with a hint of humor.

Relena was quick to remove herself from the man's grasp, decidedly ungraceful in her rush. Brushing her bangs out of her eyes, she got her first look at the man who had saved her from one embarrassment only to thrust her into another. Although she already had a pretty good idea who he was.

Wufei was fighting a smirk as he watched the former Queen attempt to regain a sense of decorum - how anyone could do so in such footwear he did not know. She looked like a child as she stood there, hideous pink bag with equally hideous pink shoes. Although, her body was unquestionably that of a woman, as he had discovered first hand. His fingers still felt restless, itching to complete the job his mind had started but was forced to leave unfinished. If Sally discovered any of this, he would need to transfer.

"Um…thanks" Relena wished she could disappear under his intense gaze. Her lip was going to start bleeding if she continued gnawing on it. If only there was an opportunity for her to regain the confidence she was feeling moments before. Perhaps fate would be kind and Wufei would slip into her arms and - _Nope, nope nope nope._

Her internal struggle was starting to irritate him, although he had to admit that she was decidedly more human today, out of her element and a bit frightened. Not that she had anything to fear from him. "I'll take that." Before she could stop him, Wufei lifted the diaper bag from her shoulder and offered her is arm.

"Oh." Relena could only stare, wondering if she was being pranked, and discreetly glanced around for a tell-tale braid. When none appeared, she hesitantly wrapped her fingers right about his elbow.

"Slip again and it's your own damn fault."

A laugh bubbled from her throat before she could stop it. Embarrassed, she quickly glanced at his profile. Was he smiling? She couldn't tell, because it would have been the worst attempt at smiling in the history of attempts if he was. But she felt elated anyway. He had been the pilot she was most worried about, and here they were. He was surprisingly funny, in a brusque way. Sally had said that he was a very quiet man, stern and overly critical, especially of himself, but not without kindness. Or chivalry, given this incident. Although, Sally had said that the two often went grocery shopping together, and he would always carry her haul for her. He wouldn't ask if she needed help, or even where she wanted the bags to be placed. He just charged forward and completed the task as if such information was unnecessary. She spent many moments with Sally discussing such incidences, over tea and laughter. Relena had always assumed the Preventer harbored a crush on the pilot, but they had never ventured into that topic.

Wufei realized that the woman clutching his arm was lost in thought again, as he led her back to the entry stairs and held the door open for her. He was glad for it, since he wouldn't have to worry about an awkward conversation he wasn't interested in having. Pleasantries were never his strong suit, and he had no interest in working on them. As she walked past him, he glanced over his shoulder at the black SUV that had arrived in Quatre's lot minutes ago.

* * *

Heero sat behind the wheel, watching Relena and his coworker interact. His knuckles whitened from their grip on the door handle.

* * *

"Hey! Wu-wu! Stop takin' my job, man!"

Wufei wasn't even going to begin to try and understand what that idiot Maxwell was talking about, as he dropped the diaper bag on Quatre's marble countertop. The idiot was holding the child. He wondered how much sense Relena actually had, if she allowed such a thing.

The baby looked at him with such a straight face that made Duo smile nervously. Even though she couldn't have been more than a year, he had never felt a more scrutinous gaze. Just as he was about to hand her back, the baby grabbed the thick braid he had left over his shoulder and shoved it into her mouth. Duo's own mouth fell open, and he looked back at Relena.

"Sorry," She waved her hand as if hoping to wave her daughter's behavior off, her cheeks flushing brightly. "She does that." Instead of becoming angry or irritated, as Relena would have expected of anyone else, Duo just laughed.

"Kid, you can have it now, but I want it back later." His fingertip lightly tapped her nose, causing the baby to glance up at him, hair still firmly squished between pink gums. She gurgled, making the first sound since the men had met her, and tugged on the braid with tiny hands. Duo winced. "See? The ladies love me."

Relena leaned her lower back against the counter top and watched the scene between baby and pilot unfold. _He would make a good father_. It was true. She was beginning to think that having these men back in her life, if they truly wanted to be there, would benefit her daughter immensely. It had worried her that Lixue might not have any strong male figures around while she grew. Relena had desperately loved her father, and wanted Lixue to find that sort of comfort.

Wufei watched the child administer saliva and mushy bits of the cookie she had eaten previously into the hair of his frequent annoyance. He had never been around children very often before, but this one seemed acceptable enough.

* * *

**Slipping on ice. An obvious ploy? Maybe. But I love it anyway!**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** You can probably consider this chapter as "filler". It doesn't really progress the plot, but it's cute and develops the characters' friendships. You all know that I have this story aimed at Wufei/Relena, but I'm also interested in how Relena communicates with the other pilots. So expect individual moments with each of them.

**I hope this works! A few of you mentioned that it wasn't loading, and I have no idea why. Let me know that you can see it!**

**Chapter 7**

* * *

"Relena, please relax."

The honey blonde jerked slightly as her host pushed a warm mug into her hands, which were twisting a napkin to pieces. The two were alone in the kitchen, as Wufei went gone out back and Duo left with Lixue to the main room. She hadn't even noticed that Quatre had been preparing her a beverage to begin with. "Hot chocolate?"

Quatre smiled warmly. "Yes. I figured you might enjoy it."

She was grateful for the chance for her hands to be occupied, and the heat emanating from the ceramic felt heavenly on her fingertips. It was a strangely gaudy cup, she noticed, with a rather frightening and morose clown painted on the surface, below thick lettering. _Why the long face?_

"Ah…it belongs to Trowa." Quatre chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Relena's disbelief produced further amusement. "He receives odd gifts from fans sometimes."

_Finally, something that makes sense. _"I forgot he was a circus performer." It was quite an odd job for a gundam pilot. From the moment Quatre had mentioned it years before, she almost assumed it was an inside joke that she had never been let in on. Truly, Trowa's skills, from what she had heard, were too great for circus performing. Although, Sally might have mentioned his involvement with Preventer before. Relena lifted the mug to her lips, savoring the warm liquid as it travelled down her throat. "This is delicious, Quatre. Thank you." She probably should have made more of an effort to please him, since his pleasure at her small admission was quite obvious. _Poor boy_.

"I'm really glad that you decided to come." Quatre murmered, with his back to her, as he swiped the countertop with a damp cloth.

Relena watched arm make smooth strokes along the marble, completing the rather bourgeois task that she wouldn't have expected from someone so wealthy. He really was the most emotionally open of the boys. She had probably always known that much, but it became more apparent with the way she tried to please her at every turn. Certainly, this was his home and he was playing host, but kind task was enabled with such precision and care. Aside from Pagan, she couldn't remember anyone who had worried so much about her. She had been of the mind to keep them all at bay for the duration of the visit. If only she could have felt good about herself for doing it. "I'm really glad I decided to come."

He paused, the cloth still beneath his hand, shoulders slumping slightly. Was it relief?

Before she could say another word, Duo trotted through the doorway, carrying a smiling baby with him. He had somehow removed his braid from her grasp and had smartly moved it to the other shoulder. "Hey, I think Heero's here. You can have your princess back, baby." He plopped the child into Relena's arms and moved with a silent speed one wouldn't expect from his almost gangly frame.

That was the second time she still couldn't figure out who he was addressing.

* * *

Heero's arrival was met with a certain element of tension, due to her presence or not she was uncertain. Although, the end result was not what she had expected.

Relena had always heard the phrase "boys will be boys". It particularly erupted from the mouths of frazzled mothers, who've accidently bumped into her, as they yanked their wailing sons down aisles at the supermarket. She assumed such words were reserved for the young. She was quite wrong.

"Ah! Don't-"

Duo Maxwell's voice was muffled behind a wad of snow that had been thrown at this face. The culprit, one very angry Heero Yuy, brushed off the icy particles from his leather jacket. He had been caught exiting his vehicle by the braided hooligan and received a frozen treat to the back of the head. The gesture was eagerly returned with vigor, and soon became an all out war.

Relena safely watched the commotion from behind the entry window, warming her hands on another mug of hot chocolate that Quatre had used as barter for the baby. She tilted her chin over her shoulder and observed the blond talking softly to Lixue as she sat on his lap. When he believed no one was watching, Quatre gained confidence in his dealings with the child. He grasped her wrists gently in his hands and made her clap to the beat of the soft tune he was humming. Lixue watched him intensely, being ever curious.

These men were surprising her at every moment, to the point that Relena began to wonder when it would end. She had never acquired such company without a price. Her biological parents were gone, her adoptive father was dead, and her entire young adult life had been spent in exchange for other's political gain. She was accustomed to abuse, and while she hadn't yet found it here, she felt a growing dread that she might.

"Wufei might be caught in the fray."

Long fingers curled around a steaming mug similar to her own, and Relena looked up to find Trowa standing next to her, watching his companions scuffle in the snow. His hair was slightly damp, the large sweep of bangs that normally shadowed part of his face was draped across his forehead and tucked behind one ear. It was such an odd departure from his usual appearance that Relena couldn't help but gawk. Luckily for her, he didn't appear to notice.

_What about Wufei? _She followed Trowa's gaze to where the unfortunate pilot caught a ball of ice on his chest. A few choice words were shared and Duo found himself outnumbered. Engaging two serious Preventer employees in a to-the-death snowball match was not Duo's brightest moment. He ducked behind a vehicle, nearly missing a ball of ice sent his way. Wufei and Heero flanked both sides of the SUV, attempting to trap the braided man.

"That was probably not the best move, strategically." Relena snickered into her mug, sipping the liquid before it grew cold.

"No."

She assumed Trowa was discreetly glancing at her when appropriate, because she was doing exactly that. Had she ever spoken to him without Quatre present? She didn't think so. _At least he's using some sentences._ "Perhaps you wish to join them? Even things out a bit?" Surprisingly, her teasing grin was partially shared. If she had known that a large cup of chocolate could soothe her nerves so thoroughly, she'd have one waiting before every speech.

Trowa was glad that the girl seemed more at ease. Quatre had shared his worries that Relena seemed too tense upon arriving, that she might leave early, etc. He assumed his friend was exaggerating, as some nervous energy was expected. When had he ever been inclined to spending an evening with old acquaintances? Aside from today, of course. Trowa glanced down at the young woman who had easily captured Quatre's upmost concern. "No. Perhaps _you_ wish to?"

Relena grinned again. "Ah, I'm a pacifist, remember?" Her light titters ended with a curiously glance at her mug. _Did Quatre spike this?_

* * *

"I'm warning you, Maxwell." Wufei's bare hands were reddened from the cold, but he continued to pack snow and ice into a ball. There might have been a few small pebbles in there also. Who was he to know for certain? "One more of those aimed at my face and you'll be wearing that braid as a scarf." Heero's curt nod followed.

Duo hid behind his large van. "Aw, you don't mean that, Fei-Fei." He poked his head out, and almost took a face-full of snow.

Wufei snarled, bending down to grab another fist-sized clump. Generally, he wouldn't let himself be so baited, but Sally had been urging him to have more _fun._ He supposed interactions like these were what she meant. At least he'd have something to say when she badgered him.

"Hey look, it's Relena! Everybody wave!"

Duo's antics were generally tolerated, but Wufei had become suddenly irritated by his insistent fascination with the woman. The touching and sweet-talking, solely on Duo's part, was enough to move him to utter revulsion. He looked to the window, and in fact Relena was standing there. Her hair bounced hypnotically about her shoulders as she turned to whoever she was speaking to. _The clown._ She was laughing. Whatever had passed between the two was clearly humorous, and Relena's cheerful smile glistened even though her form was in the shade. He had observed a similar expression when assisting her earlier, after he had to save her from making a mess of herself on the pavement –

_Smack!_

His face practically burned from the impact of the cluster of ice that collided with his cheek. The tingling sensation quickly died to reveal a dull throbbing pain. He whipped his head around to where Duo was standing, next to his van, with both arms raised in the universal sign of surrender.

"Whoa, sorry man." A glimmer of fear flashed in his eyes, despite the wavering smile on his face. "I didn't mean to-"

Out of seemingly nowhere, Heero leapt and tackled the taller pilot to the ground.

_Shit._ Wufei rubbed his cheek, noticing the small streak of blood left on his hand. Now he needed a new story for Sally, because he certainly couldn't share this one.

* * *

Back in the kitchen, all three men sat on barstools, each nursing some sort of injury. Wufei's face was slightly nicked and bruised, although he fared far better than Duo, who was nursing two skinned elbows and a collection of cuts on his forearms. Not to mention the slightly darkening of his right eye, courtesy of Heero Yuy, who managed to escape relatively unscathed. Although, his jacket might have been torn in the tussle. He refused to let Quatre inspect it.

"I wasn't aware that snowball fights were a full-contact sport." Relena whispered to Trowa, who was still keeping her company while Quatre played nursemaid.

The taller of the two felt his lips twitch into a slight smile. "It depends on who's playing."

_Boys will be boys, indeed._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Back when I first began this story, a reviewer made the comment that my title didn't quite reflect my concept. I suppose the strength and 'cheek' of "Pacify That!" might throw people off after they read the summary, but bear with me here. Relena is coming into her own, as they say, and learning how to stand up for her ideals. And not just the political kind.

I hope everyone enjoyed Valentine's Day!

**Chapter 8**

Relena watched Quatre scurry around the kitchen, again amazed by his willingness to complete tasks that others of his station would find demeaning. She said as much to him, but he laughed it off and excused his odd behavior as a severe case of anal retention. That could be believed, given the rather rough scrub he gave the counter tops earlier and how he hovered around Duo as the brunette trailed crumbs from his sandwich across the kitchen tile. In fact, Relena couldn't recall seeing one servant during the time she'd spent in his home.

"Do you keep a lot of help on hand?" Quatre looked up from where he knelt on the floor with a dustpan.

"Well, no…not really." Relena paused lightly when Heero entered and made his way to the refrigerator. He had no qualms about opening the appliance and pulling out a can of beer. "Just Pagan, mostly." She tried to ignore him as he inspected her over the rim of the can, taking a generous mouthful of the amber liquid.

Quatre watched Heero watching Relena. He was going to ruin all of Quatre's effort at making her relax. "Lunch will be ready in a few minutes, Heero."

The stoic pilot glanced at Quatre, appearing a little agitated at the blonde's intrusion.

"Could you tell the rest of the guys for me?"

Heero huffed. If Quatre wanted him to leave, he should have just said so. He'd get his answers from Relena one way or another, even if he needed to isolate her from the rest of group to do so. "Hn."

Relena's shoulders visible sagged at his departure and Quatre sighed. Would he have to play interference all day? "You know, I have a pair of boots that might be your size. And my gardens look quite lovely, even in winter."

* * *

The ground was covered in a thick layer of frozen white bits, which solidified on their uppermost layer to form a crust. Relena relished in the crunching sound as she stomped through Quatre's backyard. The expanse of land was generous, including rolling hills and a pond. Furs and pines delineated the property lines, she assumed, as they completely encircled the vast open space. Beyond that were various other trees, forming a forest of sorts. It was all very charming, and she felt like she had discovered a secret garden, full of tiny alcoves and a labyrinth of shrubberies. Lixue would certainly enjoy this when she grew older.

Relena stopped herself for a moment, resting on a stone bench that sat beneath a covering of hibernating vines. It wasn't fair of her to assume that Lixue would have such freedom of Quatre's grounds. Before meeting up with the pilots, she had accused them of using her to see the child. Now, unthinkingly, she was using them for the pleasure of her child. It was quite a blow to the superiority she was hoping to retain over the boys. Karma was certainly a bitch.

The stone beneath her was starting to make her bottom numb, so Relena stood and began rubbing it to encourage circulation. A soft cough alerted her attention.

Wufei appeared from behind a tall shrub, looking ridiculously warm and cozy in a heavy red jacket with fleece lining. His jeans were tucked into tall, probably steel toe, boots. He looked her over thoroughly, not even attempting to be discreet, and his eyes landed on her hands.

Relena wondered if the snow was melting at her feet due to her sudden rise in temperature. If so, maybe the puddle would be deep enough for her to escape her embarrassment. "It's…ah…really nice out here." Her voice faltered and she removed her hands from her posterior. Was it her lot in life to complete mortify herself in front of this man?

Wufei fought the urge to laugh outright. Before having met her, he thought that she was one of many typical politicians, so professional and cold. He could have appreciated that, as he used such tactics as a Preventer officer. However, such assumptions were quite wrong. In the last hour she had displayed an odd clumsy girlishness that was completely unexpected. It was almost endearing.

Relena wished that he would stop staring so intensely. Her usual caution regarding her behavior, like rear-rubbing in public, was strangely forgotten in this place. As a public figure, she knew that she was consistently under scrutiny and took great care in what she said and did. This place, so removed from watching eyes, was making her significantly less alert. "I didn't know that Quatre had his own pond." Small talk was currently not her forte.

"It will be used for ice skating, so I was told."

Relena blinked. "Really? Is that safe?"

He snorted. "Do you think I'd allow it if it wasn't?"

No, she didn't suppose he would. Although she didn't quite know how he would manage it. Would he bodily haul Duo away?

"Don't worry, I've already tested it."

Wufei caught her surprised glance. He could skate? She planned on keeping that question to herself, but her mouth didn't seem to want it that way.

"It is not difficult."

_Not difficult my ass_. Thankfully, that one was never vocalized. "We had a rink at school, but I never had a chance to use it." Truthfully, she was too afraid to. She had watched many girls slide all over the ice, usually coming to a crashing and bruised end. No thank you.

Wufei watched her, wanting to call her bluff. Her face easily gave away her thoughts when she wasn't taking such pains to prevent it. "Well, today you'll have your chance." He took note of the slight widening of her eyes, a reaction from the realization that one of the pilots would make her join them on the ice. Duo, most likely, would take up the task. "Let's go."

Relena dug her heels into the ground instinctively. "What?" She couldn't skate now. She didn't even have the proper equipment! And she wasn't going to wander all over a frozen pond in her boots. Wufei was reaching for her, and she put her arms up. "Wait-"

He laughed. It was a pleasant sound, even if it was at her expense. It was always at her expense lately. Now what had she done?

"Lunch is ready." Wufei's dark eyes were squinted in mirth. "Quatre asked if I would come find you."

Relena exhaled. If she could get away with kicking his shins, she would. He had baited her. "That wasn't very gentlemanly." Her scowl was becoming more apparent as she ruminated on his cruel trick. "You're knocking yourself down a few pegs from earlier."

Wufei watched as she stepped next to him, partially glaring all the while, before walking right past him and heading toward the house. "I'm not concerned." He responded. "I doubt it will take much effort to work my way back up."

* * *

Trowa stood in front of the large bathroom mirror, a comb in one hand and a hairdryer in the other. His hair lay flat over his face, removed from the convenient position over his ear. He had debated on cutting the entire appendage, for it was like a large growth on his head, completely off. Quatre, however, had stopped him just as his scissors had snipped a few hairs. He hadn't chosen the hairstyle, as some expected. It was simply an attempt to grow out a cowlick gone horribly wrong. The only reason he left it as such had to do with enjoying the anonymity of having part of his face covered. It was convenient, and he could hide.

He took the comb and untangled the damp locks, pulling them away from his face before blasting them with gusts of heat. It would take a few minutes, but sometimes he enjoyed the monotonous task.

A hand fell on his shoulder, and he quickly smacked it away before aiming the dryer in that direction.

Quatre sputtered, taking a blast of air to the face. "Turn it off!"

The taller man laughed, a rare sound even for his closest companion, and did as requested. "My apologies."

Quatre rolled it eyes. "Come off it – you knew it was me."

Trowa tucked the hair behind his ear again. There was no point in admitted was already known. "How is Relena?"

It would always amaze Quatre when his friend showed an eerie amount of perception. He generally knew what Quatre would ask before he ever had to do so. It was both relieving and annoying. "She's fine for the moment, but I might need your help keeping her that way."

Trowa had always wondered about Quatre's interest in the former queen. He was overly concerned about her welfare today, and had been completely distraught at the idea of the small blonde not wanting to spend time with him. He had his servants checking the mail repeatedly since sending out the invitation. "Is it Heero?"

Quatre sighed, rubbing his hands on his scalp and mussing his hair more than the hairdryer had. "I don't understand the nature of their former relationship. If they were…lovers?"

Trowa doubted that, given Relena's age. She had been so young and naïve. For as long as he knew Heero, he had never been either.

"Or maybe…she turned him down?" Quatre continued to speculate. "Whatever their issue is, it's causing Relena discomfort and Heero knows it." The blonde scowled. "Sometimes I think he does it on purpose."

Trowa smirked. Heero did most things on purpose. "What do you want me to do?"

* * *

Relena shoved the door open, kicking the snow off of her boots with a few stomps too many. Duo was watching her from the floor with interest, wondering who had lit the girl's fuse. Heero was his first guess, until Wufei walked in after her.

"Hey princess – got your baby here."

Relena's ire softened at the sight of Lixue. She was sitting in front of Duo, who was resting on his stomach on the carpet, chin on his hands. He took the tail of his braid and brushed Lixue's cheeks. Instinctively, she opened her mouth, trying to grasp the hair between her tiny pink gums.

Duo laughed. "Not this time, sweetheart."

_He would make a great babysitter._ At this point, she decided that she would at least admit to herself that using the pilots might be a decent idea. He clearly loved Lixue, spending as much time with her as possible. If Quatre wasn't holding her, surely Duo was. For her part, Lixue seemed to be just as fond of the braided man. Or perhaps it was just his braid. "She must be hungry. I'll get her bag." She had left it on the kitchen table, or she should say that Wufei did.

That man was an arrogant asshole.

Sally had said as much, but Relena didn't quite want to believe it until she had seen as much for herself. Well, she'd seen enough. Relena moved to the doorway, turning back to make sure that Lixue was indeed fine on the floor, which she was, and bumped shoulders with another person in her distraction.

"Must I say it again?" Wufei grabbed her upper arm to steady her, watching the swift flush cover her cheeks and travel down her neck. Her running into him was beginning to become a habit.

"Say what?" Relena gasped, feeling suddenly lost for air. If she would have known that he was going to be right there in that exact moment, she might have run into him with more effort and knocked him over. His warm fingers that still curled around her bicep were becoming distracting.

"Be careful." Wufei released her.

Relena rubbed her arm, still feeling his gentle grip.

* * *

The dining room was as ridiculously large and magnificent as every other aspect of Quatre's home. Bathed in monochromatic shades of green and beige, it was both ethereal and homey. How he could manage to make a room the size of an average person's home so comfortable was beyond her thought process. She could see Trowa already seated, gesturing her to take the chair next to his own. Strange.

Heero entered, nursing his first or a consecutive can of beer. She hadn't realized that he drank so often. Or perhaps he didn't, and the situation at hand was just as stressful to the others as it was to her. She decided that was the most comforting option. _Stew in it, Yuy. _She doubted that he could read her thoughts, but when he caught her eye he took another swig from his can which emptied it.

He took his seat on the other side of the table, directly across from where she sat. His jacket was draped on the back of his chair, exposing the thin v-neck shirt he wore underneath. The weather seemed to have little effect on him.

"Ah, great! The food's out!" Quatre entered the room with a strange amount of cheer. He took a spot at the head of the table, between Trowa and the empty chair next to Heero. "Where are Duo and Wufei?"

"Right here, Q-man." Duo entered with the other pilot in tow, his arm wrapped around the other's shoulder. "We were making out."

Wufei snarled, punching Duo in the ribs hard enough to dislodge the arm about his shoulder but not enough to cause a break.

"Up! I mean making up!"

Relena put her hand over her mouth, although she desperately wanted to laugh at Wufei's expense. Duo winked and sat next to her, opposite of Quatre, and Wufei took the last chair by Heero.

"He's so homophobic." Duo whispered, although not quiet enough for the entire table not to hear.

"Duo-phobic, I think." Trowa replied.

Relena laughed then, dropping her hand and setting it lightly on Trowa's arm. It might have been considered flirtatious, but Relena saw it as simple recognition of Trowa's wit. A 'nice one!' gesture. Trowa smiled softly at her and then caught Heero's eye. Quatre should have stocked the table with more napkins. The surly pilot could start foaming at the mouth.

Wufei rolled his eyes, suddenly remembering why he chose _not_ to frequently associate with these people.

"Aw, Tulip! You wound me!"

Relena wondered if Duo had come up with that nickname one the spot, or if he had been referring to Trowa as a flower for some time. Trowa's well-guarded expression gave nothing away.

The food was delicious, to the point that most were too preoccupied with eating it to really add to the conversation. Quatre had made a comment to Wufei about current Preventer dealings, and Wufei responded with rather vague details. Heero then joined the discussion briefly, adding to whatever he believed Wufei had missed. It became a bit of a competition, Relena noted.

"All they ever talk about is work." Duo spoke to Relena quietly, this time not wanting everyone else to have the pleasure of listening in on their conversation. "So, how ya doin' sweetheart? Not stressin' out too much, I hope."

His eyes were so kind in that moment that Relena felt like she could cry. He was more perceptive than people gave him credit for, and she wondered how long he had known that meeting up with them again was working on her. "I'm fine, really." He didn't seem to believe her. "Really, please, I am. I…" She glanced down at her plate, feeling the usual tug o' war with her emotions. "I wasn't quite sure what to expect coming here."

Duo nodded, taking a piece of bread in front of them and breaking a piece off for her while saving one for himself. "Are you glad you came?"

She had told Quatre that she was; although, it had been more for his benefit than her own. Still, she believed that she could honestly say that she was happy to have interacted with Duo again. He was the perfect blend of kindness and mischief, sincerity and humor. She had needed that for a long time. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

Duo grinned and tapped her nose playfully. "Good. I'm glad too."

"Can we cut the bullshit?" Heero stabbed at his plate with his fork, but didn't pick up what he had skewered in order to eat it. Clearly, whatever he had been discussing with Quatre and Wufei turned sour, and that frustration turned itself on the blond across the table. "We know why we're here, so let's get it over with." His cool eyes upraised her. "What were you thinking, Relena?"

At that moment she felt very much like whatever Heero had impaled on his plate. To have gone from a rather intimate and sweet conversation to this blatantly insulting demand caused a bloom of embarrassment among the confusion. It wasn't what he said, but how and when he said it. She knew that everyone would want to know why she had decided to do what she had, but it hadn't occurred to her that it would happen this way.

"C'mon Heero, don't-"

"Shut up, Maxwell." Heero barked, his eyes never leaving Relena. "Your _princess_ can speak for herself." He issued it as a challenge, because they both knew that she hadn't spoken up for herself very often. There were short moments in their history together where he used his own words for them both, when she was too afraid to say otherwise and he was too comfortable to encourage her to do so.

Frankly, Relena wasn't that person anymore. And watching every other man at the table show an inkling of pity for her as she was berated by one of their own was starting to piss her off. "What was I thinking when? Just now? Or are you referring to a different moment when I happened to be _thinking_." He had barely begun his tirade, but she was already imagining what he was going to say – what he could say – and it was churning in her gut.

Heero paused, clearly re-thinking his next move as the opposition advanced in a manner that he had not expected. "You know what I'm talking about." He hadn't intended on sounding so…brusque. It was a character flaw, he was told, and he hadn't worked on fixing it. She just irritated him so furiously. Her youth was going to be thrown away for motherhood, after she had finally achieved a semblance of what she had lost in the war. Out of all of those present, she was the most _normal_. The most untouched. And here she was, throwing away what they could never have.

"You're talking about my daughter, then."

Everyone at the table noticed the emphasis placed on recognizing Lixue as Relena's own.

"Yes, the baby that you brought back to _save_." Heero dropped his fork altogether. "Why did you do it?"

Relena's hands clenched in her lap, strangling the fabric napkin. "Why do you feel so entitled to my motives?"

"Do I really have to answer that?"

Relena paused. _Surely he doesn't think that our 'relationship' as teenagers gives him the right…_ Judging by his expression, yes he did.

There had been a point when she would seek out his advice, and she deeply respected his opinion. She fawned over him, she knew that. If things had been different, if he had stayed, perhaps she might have asked for his thoughts on the adoption. But they weren't, and he left.

She wasn't going to admit to him now that there had been a moment of fear. Relena wondered if she would be able to love the child as her own, and if a deeper connection could be forged. She also had doubts given her age. Whispers over her inexperience and youth were not lost on her. She knew what people were saying and thinking about the decision she had made. But it had been made, and she didn't regret it.

At her silence, Heero continued on, trying another tactic. "Don't you think it was selfish of you? We all know your responsibilities. Do you think you can really care for a child-"

Selfish. If ever Relena had a trigger word, that one was it. A rush of what felt like heartburn assaulted her chest. Heero's voice continued in the background, but she had long stopped trying to make out his words. They were muffled by what felt like water in her ears. The napkin in her fingers tore.

"…should have just purchased a dog."

Relena stood abruptly, pushing back her chair and causing it to topple backward. "Selfish!" She thrust one pointed finger at his face. "Tell me what is selfish about saving a child from hunger and poverty! To bring her home and love her and care for her like she might never have experienced otherwise? If anything, I'm selfish because I knew I couldn't save more! I knew my limits, financially and emotionally." She dropped her hand. "You want to know why I did it? Why I saved her?" Her lip fought to tremble, but she held firm. "Because I knew the moment that I saw her, even if I failed to stop the war threatening those people, I could at least stop it for her." Thinking of the tiny, dark-haired baby in that reached out to her that day caused her tears, and she knew there was no point in hiding them. "If that makes me selfish…well, then I am."

She inhaled roughly, resisting the urge to wipe her cheeks. "But what does that make you, Heero? Demanding that I give you a reason for what I've decided to do with my life. All you care about is what you believe I owe you." Finally, when the liquid began to dry and itch, she rubbed it away. "I'll admit, I was a ridiculous, love-struck child when I met you – but I've grown up." Relena met Heero's eyes, which still held the shock from her outburst. "Unfortunately, you're still a prick."

A soft cry interrupted, and it grew as the seconds passed while everyone digested what had just occurred.

"Excuse me," Relena stepped around the chair. "The evidence of my narcissism is calling me."

* * *

Relena quietly climbed the stairs to the second floor, carrying the now sleeping bundle carefully. She was thankful to have a reason to leave the travesty that had occurred downstairs, and was rather surprised that a guest room had been prepared for her visit. Although, it _was_ Quatre's hospitality she was dealing with. And he certainly went all out.

The curtains were parted slightly, allowing a portion of light to spill between the sheer grey fabric. A bed, bathed in silver linens, sat in the far corner. A wooden crib was placed next to it. Space not inhabited by furniture was reserved bookcases full of children's stories, figurines, and stuffed animals. Between those were a changing table and a rocking chair outfitted with bulging white cushions. It was an ethereal haven, not a guest room.

_Mr. Winner 2: Relena 0_

Lixue shifted in her arms, exhaling with a hiccup in the adorable way Relena had become accustomed to. The young mother made her way to the crib, feeling pulled to do so by the relaxed atmosphere of the room, yet reluctant to leave her baby in a place still foreign. The material of the mat was soft, she could tell without touching it. The mobile above was fashioned with care: tiny animals held suspended by strings, flanked by twinkling lights, twirling to a soft soothing melody. The baby was laid gently and she barely stirred, aside from nuzzling her cheek on the mat. Relena rested her hand on her chest, feeling the dull but rapid thump with her fingertips. The tears that she had held while at the table were released in flourish.

"It's really decent, what you're doing."

She jumped. Duo had somehow found his way beside her without being heard. She wondered how long he had been standing there. "What?" She quickly wiped her cheeks.

Duo ignored her for a moment, watching the baby's chest rise and fall in deep sleep. He reached out, stopping before his long finger touched her cheek, and retreated. "Not very many get the chance, as you said. Having a family, and all. I understand that firsthand." He leaned against the crib, his expression smooth, but his fingers gripped the wooden edge with knuckles twitching and blue veins becoming visible beneath the skin.

Relena recognized the haunting glaze that covered his eyes, seeing her and the baby before him, yet not. She had seen the same in her brother. Wherever his thoughts had taken him, she knew it was a dark place. Relena placed her hand over his. "I am lucky to have her."

Reverie broken, Duo stared at the former princess, tears still in her eyes. He was surprised at himself for treading down such an emotional path in her presence. But, given recent events, perhaps everyone had turned to such moments. He turned his hand over, so both met palm to palm, and interlaced their fingers. He held her gaze. "Yeah."

The tender touch broke her down and Relena fell into Duo's chest. He brought their combined hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers, using his other hand to brush her back or hold her head close to him.

"You know, he didn't mean-"

"I don't care." Relena sobbed.

Duo held her still, feeling his shirt grow damp. A movement in the doorway caught his eye, and he spotted Wufei standing stiffly with one hand tightly grasping the doorframe. The men shared a glance and Wufei nodded before treading back down the darkened hallway.

* * *

**Whoo. This was rather long, wasn't it?**

**A/Nx2:** I don't want to make Heero out to be the bad guy, because he's not. He cares for Relena in his own way, but it often backfires because he has a serious amount of emotional constipation.

Let me know what you think! I love hearing from you guys! **  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the length between updates. I've been on a job hunt and trying to keep up with my writing outside of . ** **This chapter is a bit short, but I wanted to get a Wufei/Relena moment out there before you guys went nuts! **

**Chapter 9**

Relena couldn't look at herself and not feel embarrassed over what had occurred. The sensitive flesh of her eyelids was tender and swollen, red-rimmed and veined. Her cheeks had begun to itch from the residue of her tears, so she found herself leaning over the sink, trying to avoid her reflection in the overly large mirror.

She dipped her fingers into the warm water that had filled the basin and splashed the liquid over her face. It was soothing, and for a moment she could forget where she was and what she had done.

Could she honestly say that her words were wrong? Relena supposed that she had made a habit out of taking responsibility for the wrong doings of others, especially to maintain peace. That was her job. She was always the mediator, never on the offensive or defensive. And she preferred it that way. But battling with Heero over her personal decisions had never been on her bucketlist.

Now she had to face him, and everyone else. And she looked like shit.

There was a soft knock against the white wood of the door.

Relena jolted from the abrupt sound, quiet as it was. She hesitated in answering, brushing her damp fingers on a towel and dusting off invisible dirt from her jeans "Yes?"

"I have tea."

It was a deep voice. Calm and soothing.

_Wufei. _

"Ah…one second!" Relena gave her face another glance, almost swearing out loud at how horrid she looked. He couldn't see her this way! She opened every cabinet and drawer, searching fruitlessly for something that could magically restore her face to its former mediocre appearance. Didn't men wear makeup these days? Quatre's face was certainly too smooth and clear to be freshly scrubbed and bare. _There has to be some tinted moisturizer around here somewhere._

"Relena?"

She paused, realizing that she might have been making a bit more noise than intended. _Dammit, Quatre!_ She grabbed a hand towel, drenched it in cold water, and applied it to her eye lids. It would gradually eliminate the redness, but certainly not in time to meet Wufei. Relena slipped her hand over the smooth knob and opened the door a crack, keeping the compress over her eyes, although lifting it a tad to see his feet.

"Are you injured?"

She almost glanced at him to respond, but thankfully kept the towel pressed to her eyelids. "No…just a headache." She heard him place the mug on the countertop, wondering if that was her signal to close the door.

Warm fingers encased her wrist.

"Take this off. You look ridiculous."

Relena scowled, wishing she wasn't so self-conscious. A wet rag to the side of the head would have been a proper punishment for such a comment. She wasn't even going to consider how comfortable it was to have him touch her. That thought alone made her resist his pull on her arm, which was rather difficult given his gradual increase of force.

"Relena." He growled. "Stop hiding."

Her head snapped up and the towel dropped from her hand. "What?"

Wufei damned himself and his overbearing personality to hell. What was he doing, resorting to such tactics? Bullying the poor woman into following his orders? He had come to give her a cup of damned tea! She had already dealt with one asshole today, and he didn't want to be the second. Granted, it wasn't in his nature to respond with a gentle hand or word. That's why Duo would have been better suited for such a task, as painful as it was to admit. Wufei hadn't much experience with weepy women. The state of her face reminded him why.

Any pleasure Yuy might have gained from calling her out at the table would have vanished at the sight of her. The skin of her lower eyelids was beginning to swell, and her nose appeared raw from excessive rubbing. Her cheeks were still flushed, although the rest of her skin appeared clammy and pale. Wufei suddenly had the urge to rest the back of his palm against her forehead, not that either of them would welcome the gesture.

He wasn't the misogynistic bastard that everyone expected, and he hoped Relena knew that. Seeing her so vulnerable didn't excite him or inflate his sense of control. But he supposed that the suppressed desire to protect her was as belittling. She wouldn't accept it – hell, he doubted that he would offer it – but the urge remained.

Wufei bent and retrieved the towel, before offering it to her. "Drink your tea."

Relena knew that she had flushed brightly under his scrutiny. Wherever his thoughts had taken him for those few moments, she was rather certain that she had been a guest. _Stop hiding. Drink your tea. Is he for real? _Strangely, his orders lacked the condescension she found in one of his fellow pilots. That was what had made them easier to obey. The mug was still on the counter, and the beverage was probably getting cold.

She gripped the ceramic, enjoying its warmth beneath her fingers. Tentatively, she took a small sip. _Mint?_

"Spearmint, specifically."

Relena realized that he was watching her, and must have noticed her surprise. Or he was a mind reader. "It tastes lovely." Sally had mentioned that he was rather obsessed with tea, and Relena wondered if this was his favorite. "Thank you." She lifted her mug in a mock 'cheers' and moved backward into the safety of the bathroom, preparing to shut the door.

Wufei's arm halted its progress.

"What-"

"Sit down."

Relena's brows furrowed. "Excuse me?"

He spoke again, this time gesturing to the counter. "Sit."

The sink was still full and the marble was speckled with droplets. Certainly, he wouldn't expect her to wipe them up with her rear. "Why?"

His patience appeared to be wearing thin, as his jaw worked in a slow grind. "You have a headache. I will fix it."

Relena snorted before she thought better of it. His jaw started up again. "That's…kind. But really, I'm fine. I have a few pills in my bag-"

Wufei entered the bathroom and locked the door behind him with a swiftness that startled Relena so soundly that she almost dropped her tea. She set in on the counter and was about to give him 'what for' when he turned on her, grabbed her about the waist, and set her on the counter. She shrieked and held onto his shoulders. "What are you doing?"

He muttered to himself, while she felt his fingertips rub into the soft tissue just above her hips. Did he say something about a misogynistic bastard?

"Wufei – please-"

"I apologize."

His fingers paused, as if he finally realized what he was doing. Relena felt more than saw his hands leave her figure, as her eyes were trained on his face. He was ridiculously uncomfortable, perhaps more than she was at the moment, and the knowledge gave her a fleeting burst of confidence. "You're making my headache worse, you know."

He met her eyes with his own, and his small smirk threatening to grow into a legitimate smile. "Again, I apologize." He lifted his hands to her face. "I will need to touch you."

"Now you're asking permission?"

It was a challenge as much as it was a friendly taunt. Relena knew that she should have been angry at him for barging into the bathroom and manhandling her, but she couldn't find the indignation needed to hold that particular grudge. Perhaps Heero had used up her Super-Pissed Quota for that day. Or maybe she enjoyed the occasional manhandling when the perpetrator was so handsome and lacking in charm. She was used to 'smooth' men, and Wufei wasn't that type. It was refreshing.

Although she'd probably completely regret this later.

His fingers felt cool when they gently pressed against her temples. That alone was relieving, but she practically moaned when they began a slow circular rub. She'd performed a similar task when stressed, but why did it feel so much better when he did it? The large palms cupped her cheeks and his thumbs passed over her eyebrows, to the bridge of her nose, and back. Her eyes had closed at some point, although it was difficult to remember when. His fingers worked their way up to her scalp, and she had to speak before she turned into a whimpering mess and embarrassed herself. "Where did you learn this?"

"Sally."

_Sally._ He said it with such familiarity, more than she had ever heard him use with anyone else – even the boys. Perhaps there was more to that relationship than Sally let on? It bothered Relena, although she didn't want to consider why. As if she had the luxury of forming attachments, given her responsibilities to her career and her daughter. Not that she even wanted to, of course. Form attachments. _I'm an idiot. _"She's a skilled woman, that Sally."

"Yes, so she has told me."

Relena peered at him from one cracked eyelid. _Jokes, Wufei?_ "You're quite skilled yourself."

He merely smirked and continued his gentle ministrations.

"Remember what you said earlier? About working your way back up a few pegs?"

Wufei nodded.

"Congratulations."

* * *

Quatre sat at the table, surveying the damage to his furniture and the state of the uneaten lunch. "Well, this was a disaster."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello readers! Although I'm still looking for employment, I am now happily lending my services to a growing ePublishing company, Breathless Press! Feel free to visit the site (just add .com) and snap up some great books! We're also always accepting submissions, including short stories for a vampire anthology. Check it out and message me if you're interested in submitting! **

Chapter 10

The house was quiet, although that wasn't so unusual given previous events.

Duo was still recovering from his hold on the shaking woman he had left to rest in the bedroom upstairs. He had never seen her so distraught. It humbled him. Hurt him. He realized the moment her tears began to soak his shirt that never wanted to see her that way again.

Her political presence, the controlled and collected figure she presented on screen, appeared large and unapproachable. He had known all along that she wasn't who the media portrayed her to be, but feeling her slim shoulders tremble beneath his hands brought out the reality of her vulnerability. She wasn't emotionally delicate, that much he knew from the spectacle over lunch. If the situation hadn't been so serious, he might have high-fived her for handing Heero his ass. However, she also wasn't infallible. There was a need there for support and acceptance. And protection. He wanted to provide all of those things for her, now more than ever.

If only he'd done a better job of running interference.

"How is she?"

Duo barely made it to the last step before Heero all but plowed into him, the fierce scowl still sitting comfortably on the man's face. He knew that his lanky build was no match against the stocky and solid construction on his comrade, but Duo seriously wanted to level him. "How do you think she is?"

Heero's scowl deepened as he was pushed away. "That's not what I asked."

"Well," Duo rounded a corner and entered the kitchen, quickly pulling a beer out of the refrigerator, "I don't really give a shit."

Both pilots knew that Duo never drank, but he had an excuse to indulge today.

"She should have just answered my question."

The taller man of the two quickly wiped his mouth with his sleeve, after almost spiting the liquid out in surprise. "Are you fucking serious?" Duo used the height advantage to glare down at his friend. "Who said we have the right? She was on the money, you know." He slammed the beer can onto the island countertop with such force that bits of liquid splattered them both. "You _are_ a prick."

Heero never flinched, not even when the amber droplets rolled down his face. He retrieved his jacket from the back of one of the chairs and headed for the door.

"You can't just drop a bomb and run, you know."

Heero paused, his head barely turned. "I know."

* * *

The sun was setting. Relena could tell by the lengthening strips of light on the carpet, an effect of the brightness peering between the blinds. She'd been hiding away for what felt like hours, but it could have been minutes. Wufei had left her in quite a state, which was perhaps more perplexing than the Heero debacle. Another shot at her character and ability as a mother would have been welcome compared to the gut-tightening insecurity that attacked full-force when the Chinese pilot was present.

She was certainly surprised at Heero. Perhaps not over what was said, but the manner in which it was presented. As a public figure, she was bound to find herself on the receiving end of someone's scorn. And she could honestly say that her anger had abated. Unfortunately, her feelings were still a bit pinched.

That was why she still hadn't made it downstairs.

Lixue sighed loudly, and rubbed the back of her head against the soft material of the crib's mattress. A tentative peek told Relena that she was still asleep.

The blonde let out a light sigh of her own and stretched her cramped limps. Hiding was rather cowardly, and she had never considered herself yellow-bellied before.

_Time to suck it up._

* * *

Trowa stood before a full-length mirror. He inspected the fit of his jeans, which were gray and cut typically slim. It wasn't vanity, although he acknowledged that most found him moderately attractive. He enjoyed the look of accurate tailoring, the smooth clean lines that hugged instead of squeezed. Quatre had teased him initially, but he took it in stride. The blond pilot had little room to talk; lavender and pink?

The soft beat of tentative steps alerted his attention. There were only two options as to who it could be.

"Oh!"

Trowa watched the blonde stop abruptly. Her mouth formed a slackened "O".

"Ah…I'm sorry! I didn't realize-"

"It's fine."

He would have smirked if he wasn't worried about upsetting her all over again. With a light sweep of his fingers, he gestured for the woman to enter his bedroom. She did, but it was rather reluctant. He watched her study the room, with its minimal furnishings and monochromatic color scheme. Boring, Quatre would say. With her hands clasped behind her back, she peered around a bookcase to the far end of the room. She would notice a large bed and matching end tables, neither decorated nor personalized.

"It's rather soothing in here."

Trowa blinked. That, he had not expected.

"A bit…well…_sterile_." She glanced at him quickly, as if realizing her error too late. "But soothing!" Her fingers brushed the smooth wood of the end table. "It's like a fresh start. A nice place to sit and forget."

It was certainly an odd sentiment, although he managed to understand it. But he wondered if she was expressing such thoughts to him or herself. Perhaps she had things of her own to forget, as he did. Certainly the events of the afternoon were worth forgetting. But she also wasn't sheltered from war, and fought as bravely as they all did, albeit in her own way. A few steps led him to where she stood. "I'm glad someone else appreciates it."

She smiled and brushed her hair behind one ear, her fingers trailing down the strands to play with their ends. It seemed like a nervous gesture.

"Come." Trowa carefully grasped her forearm and lightly tugged it toward him. "They're waiting for us downstairs." He was relieved when she didn't start at his touch. They had forged a tentative, quiet sort of friendship over the last few hours and he wanted to maintain it.

"Are we going skating?"

Fear. He almost chuckled. "Perhaps."

* * *

The air prickled the skin of her cheeks, but it was strangely refreshing. It felt good to submit to the cold. Although, she had to admit that the thick lining of her coat and gloves kept her pretty insulated. Still…it was a nice shock to her system. Sally often ran in the snow, and had been urging her to come along. She said it helped build up her leg muscles. Relena thought she was crazy.

But, maybe there was something to it?

She could certainly use more muscle. It was hard enough to keep up with the three figures in front of her. No one had mentioned the missing party, although she wasn't surprised that he had taken off. It was probably for the better. Maybe she could relax and form a few new friendships without his interference. Or chat up Wufei…

He was a few feet away, leading the pack to Quatre's personal pond. She thought that she had caught him occasionally glancing behind his shoulder, but he could have easily been looking at Trowa instead. She followed quietly as they continued to stomp along. Well, Quatre's "stomp" looked more like a "skip", but she wasn't about to say anything. Especially since he had let her borrow his boots again. They were too large, of course, but small enough to not completely fall off of her feet.

As she thought it, Relena almost tripped over untied laces gone unnoticed.

"Need an escort, Princess?"

Duo, who had been the last to leave the house, must have caught up to them and witnessed her brief stumble. She waved off his concern while studying the ground at her feet, not wanting to make the same mistake twice. "No, no. I just need to wat-"

She squealed as two arms quickly lifted her off of the ground. "Duo!" Instinct urged her to squirm roughly, but she forced herself to relax and clasped her hands behind his neck.

He was laughing. She saw the large puffs of sparkling moisture float above her face. "That was cruel."

"Cruel, fun…it all depends on your perspective."

Relena would have smacked him if she wasn't so concerned about holding onto him tightly. His next round of "fun" might include dropping her.

"Relax, Princess." Duo shifted her weight and lifted her higher in his arms. "I wanted to talk to you."

The good humor in his voice wavered, so Relena realized that whatever needed to be discussed was more serious than the pilot was comfortable with. And she was pretty convinced about the subject matter. "I figured you would."

His eyebrows lifted slightly. "Yeah? Am I that easy to figure out now?"

"Given the circumstances, yes."

Duo chuckled. "I'm glad I still have a bit of mystery. Hate to have you callin' me out on my surprises." He sighed deeply, and Relena couldn't tell if he was preparing himself for the conversation or just a bit winded over carrying her through a foot of snow.

"You've got me. I'm not going anywhere." She patted his arm and gestured to the ground with one finger. He seemed to get the hint.

"Ruinin' all my fun."

When her feet sunk deep into the snow she felt like more like herself. Duo was ridiculously sweet, but his desire to save her was a bit overly dramatic. It had taken only an hour to herself to realize that the braided pilot put her on a pedestal worthy of the endearment he addressed her with. But she really didn't deserve it.

"Heero's an asshole."

It was so abrupt, so random yet perfectly relevant, that Relena exhaled a choke of a laugh. "Well, yeah. I've known that for a long time." Hadn't everyone? "You don't need to worry about it. I've sorted through it all and I'm fine." It was still rather perplexing that he cared so much.

"I'm glad, but I'm still pretty pissed."

Relena laughed easily this time. "There's no need to be. He is what he is."

They both remained quiet for a time. Relena took a bit of comfort in the sound of his steady breathing as their booted feet crunched through the snow.

"That doesn't give him an excuse to hurt you."

She paused for a moment, considering his words. "No, it doesn't." The pond was ahead, and she was both relieved for the distraction and anxious about conquering a slight fear. "But…it will only hurt if I let it."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello all! I've decide to move the story along. I've spent too many chapters at Quatre's house! I hope you approve. **

Chapter 11

"I have it on good authority that you spent a day with a few questionable men."

The deep, soothing voice of her obnoxiously adorable elder brother interrupted Relena's train of thought, and she paused at her desk with pen mid-air. "Really? Have you been spying?"

Zechs closed the door to her office quietly and made himself comfortable in one of her chairs. "Spying is not necessary when it's obvious."

Relena glanced up at him, her current work forgotten. "I don't follow."

"Duo Maxwell."

A rush of relief eased her tightened chest and spread warmly through her stomach. _Shit. Jeezus. _"Yeah, he's not what anyone would call discreet." _I'm going to kill you, Duo._ "Unless he's asked nicely."

Zechs smiled, but it was clear that he had questions waiting to be answered.

Relena set her pen down and stretched her back. Sitting hunched over a desk all day was going to give her a hump if she wasn't careful, and she doubted they'd allow their Dove of Peace to work from a bell tower. "Let it out, brother. You've never hesitated being a pain in my ass before." She grinned and unbuttoned the cuffs of her blouse before rolling the sleeves to her elbows. Her dear brother had always been the anal retentive sort, all business and no pleasure, so she wasn't about to let on that she had slipped her shoes off hours ago.

Zechs bristled slightly before realizing that the response had been a joke, after which he smirked. "You are spending far too much time with Noin." Pretending to relieve his suit of lint, he continued, "I was informed of an … incident."

Relena inhaled sharply and bare feet dug into the stiff carpet. One knee started to bounce. "Duo?"

"No."

"…Wufei?"

"It was requested that I keep such information to myself."

Relena snorted, grabbing at her pen roughly. She began to scribble furiously on an errant piece of paper. _Kill. Wufei. _"So it was him then."

"No."

She paused, pen abandoned once more. Could he not answer a simple question? "Milliardo…"

It was a dirty tactic, but she knew that breaking him down quickly always worked best when she referred to him as such. Relena would worry about her moral compass later.

"I won't say." He met her eyes with his own. "I'm not at liberty to do so. But I wanted to reassure myself that you were well." With that, Zechs effortlessly lifted himself from the chair and closed the distance between them to kneel at her side. "And you are well, aren't you?"

That was uncharacteristic of him. Especially in such expensive slacks. Relena turned in her chair and placed her cool palm against his warm cheek. In that position, their heights were as even as they'd ever get. "Yeah. Don't worry."

He exhaled and leaned into her touch slightly, just enough for her to feel the gentle push against her fingers. "But it is my job to worry."

Relena recalled the moment Duo had held her in the relative darkness of Quatre's guest room. She had needed him then, to calm and reassure. It was easy to forget that perhaps he had needed the embrace just as much as she had. Relena wondered briefly if Zechs worried for her sake or his own.

She reached her free arm over his shoulder and pulled him into her embrace. His strikingly light hair, so different from her own darker strands, brushed against her cheek. It took only a moment for her brother to register what she had initiated, and with sudden strength grasped her about the waist. It was startling, she had to admit. Zechs had never been a physically affectionate man, and she knew that Noin had begrudgingly dealt with that fact. Perhaps he was testing his comfort with someone comfortable.

They stayed there for a moment, simply breathing and holding each other.

"Sister, darling."

She stroked his hair, waiting for answers to the questions she hadn't asked.

"Where are your shoes?"

* * *

It was dark, but the glow from the television illuminated a menagerie of beer cans that littered the floor and wooden coffee table. A table which was missing a leg and thus propped up by a stack of gun magazines and cardboard boxes. One large booted foot kicked the cans away and rested its heel on the wood.

Heero flipped the lid of another beer can, which popped and fizzed satisfyingly. He arranged his other leg to cross the one resting on the table, and settled into the stiff cushions of the love seat.

_"…unrest on colony 139 continues, and we're left wondering if the Foreign Minister has taken the necessary steps to insure peace-"_

The reporter faded out as the channel changed.

_"…buy that someone special a gift they'll never forget this holiday season-"_

Click.

_"Blondes do have more fun-"_

Click.

_"Buy your daughter this handcrafted Relena doll-"_

Click.

The television blacked out. Heero rubbed his hand through is hair and over his eyes. He could feel a headache coming on.

* * *

The ceiling light flickered three times before abruptly fizzling out with a pop. The office was bathed in darkness, and the glass of the windows vibrated with each blast of wind.

"Ah…shit."

Relena shuffled through her desk drawers, looking for the flashlight she knew she had stored for this exact purpose. All she managed to find was her letter opener, which promptly sliced the tip of her forefinger. "Ow!" She yanked her hand back, but couldn't assess the damage without an appropriate light. The entire situation was her reward for opting to extend her workday a few hours. "Hells bells."

A rough chuckled startled her out of her internal whine-fest and she yipped in an unpleasant, purely feminine fashion. The fierce beam from a heavy duty flashlight burned her eyes, and she attempted to cover them with her uninjured hand. "Hey! Watch it!"

The light lowered and Relena's vision was momentarily cluttered with mutli-colored splotches.

"Why are you still in the building?"

Trying not to rub her eyelids, and effectively smudge her mascara, Relena about kicked herself for not recognizing him earlier. "I could ask you the same thing."

"Security duty."

Well, that made sense she supposed. He was always a dedicated worker, and no amount of sleet or snow could keep him away from his duty. She heard a soft plop and realized that the blood from her finger was dropping on the notes she had been constructing so diligently beforehand. "Hey, bring the light over here." She reached blindly for a box of tissues with her good hand. "Please."

She heard his light footfalls and assumed that he was making even that slight noise for her benefit. The beam of light focused on her desk and she raised her hand to it. A small red puddle was forming on a stack of papers.

He exhaled slowly. "What did you do?"

"Letter opener."

The flashlight was set on her desk, still illumining her injury, and Relena watched two tanned hands inspect her pale one.

"Do you have a first aid kit?"

She was thankful that he hadn't asked her how she'd done it. "Maybe. Check the drawer." He leaned forward, hands never leaving her own, and she felt the brush of hair against her cheek. He always wore it pulled back. "Bottom one – yeah, there." She tucked her feet beneath her chair, far from where he was currently bent over. No doubt he was like her brother.

He growled softly, and Relena realized moments later that it was actually a laugh. "You have three band aids and a capless bottle of Neosporin." When his head lifted, she could have leaned forward and brushed her lips against his cheek if she wished. "This would not be sufficient in an emergency."

_God, he's gorgeous._ Relena felt the heat rise to her face as she inspected the smooth curve of his lips as they lifted slightly at the corners. It had recently become so evident that she wondered why she had never noticed it before. How had an occasional appreciation for someone's appearance turned into that dull but wonderful ache whenever she saw him?

"Would you like me to take care of it?"

_God, yes. Please._

"Does it hurt that bad?"

Relena inhaled sharply. Had she said that out loud? "Ah…no, just a bit." She looked away. "I'm more concerned about the mess I'm making on my notes."

She heard the faint rip of paper and felt a damp cloth gently swipe over her injury. That action alone turned her attention back to him. He must have noticed.

"Antiseptic wipe. I keep them in my pocket."

Relena nodded. Very smart. Did she expect less? "What aren't you prepared for?"

He glanced at her then, those dark eyes holding a hint of humor but not lacking in intensity. "Zombie apocalypse."

* * *

She was laughing at him. It was unrestrained and deep, a sound she usually reserved for one of Maxwell's antics. He recalled when he had last heard it.

_"Watch it!"_

_Two bodies collided with painful crack before tumbled backward on the ice. _

_"Jezzus, Quatre! Are you made of concrete?" Duo wheezed and rubbed his back while carefully pushing himself to his knees. _

_Quatre snorted, gingerly pressing the swelling flesh below his eye. "I could ask your head the same thing."_

_Trowa skated over and gave the blonde a hand as Duo was already on his feet. "Perhaps the two of you should stay on opposites ends of the pond."_

_"I'll keep it in mind, Tulip."_

_He stood a few feet away, watching the scene as it unfolded. They all were agile and athletic enough to be decent skaters, but Duo's penchant for the dramatic had him tripping over his own feet. It didn't help matters that he had been blatantly flirting with Relena the entire time. When he turned slightly, he noticed that the petite blonde had moved to stand next to him. How she had done it was uncertain. The girl had barely managed to stay on her feet. And it had nothing to do with showing off. _

_"How many mishaps are we going to have today?" She was wiping the tears from her cheeks, remnants of the hilarity ensued by the actions of his ridiculous friends._

_He snorted. "Plenty, with Maxwell here."_

_Relena giggled again. It was a pleasant sound, lacking the irritating flirtatiousness that was usually present with other women of his acquaintance. Granted, they were never giggling at him. But that was beside the point. _

"How are you not prepared for that?" She chortled, using her good hand to muffle her mirth. He wanted to pull it away. "C'mon, Wufei - you must have some sort of plan. Everyone does."

Her grin was infectious and he allowed a slight show of teeth. "No one can plan for such a widespread event. It's ludicrous." He freed the bandage's adhesive and recaptured her hand. It was painful to watch her brilliant smile waver as he wrapped her finger.

"Tell that to the internet." She winced.

Wufei rolled his eyes at her comment, but gently brushed his fingers against her palm. "It is a rare event for me to be unarmed. I have access to multiple forms of weaponry, safe houses, food storage supplies, and equally competent men to back me up. A zombie apocalypse is the least of my worries."

It had been an attempt to make her laugh, but she chose to study him intently instead. He focused on retrieving the bandage wrappers in order to escape her scrutiny. Not that either of them was easily visible in the dim light provided. He was even less so, as the flashlight was turned toward her. Wufei wondered what she could see of his face in the darkness.

"What do you worry about then?" Her head had cocked to the side. He doubted that she even noticed. "What trumps zombies?"

Wufei stood, his knees finally feeling the burn from the weight on his joints. He leaned over the desk, into her space, and discarded the wrappers in a small waste bin that he had noticed earlier. She must have been startled by his actions, because he felt the warmth of her hand as it lightly grasped his bicep. For a moment he was concerned that he had scared her. "The safety of a certain political figure overrides most concerns."

He stood again and they both remained silent for a moment. The force of the wind had dulled, but its characteristic howl filled the small office. Relena rubbed her arms and Wufei became aware of the swiftly dropping temperature. He had been on his way to check the generators when he realized that he wasn't alone on the floor.

The flashlight flickered as he grabbed it, and he made a note to check the battery. Many of the offices held safety supplies, so he could locate the necessary materials there. If he couldn't restore heat to the building, they would also need blankets.

"What is yours?" Wufei broke the silence with his question, deciding to keep the young woman occupied while he assessed their situation. Although, the abrupt change in conversation clearly left her confused, as he discovered her staring at him blankly. "Plan. For the apocalypse. Since everyone has a one."

She snorted, and he decided that she wore impertinence well. "You're kidding, right?"

He watched her inspect the bandage on her finger briefly before waving it in emphasis.

"This? The guns? Safe houses? Food?" She pushed her rolling chair backward and joined him.

In that moment he realized that she was barefoot and he urged his attention elsewhere. Thankfully, he was distracted by Relena's bandaged finger pointing at his chest.

"If zombies do show up, I'm finding you first."


End file.
